Lambs Becoming Lions
by Sarudoshi
Summary: [Slight AU] What would happen if Mariko had started traveling with the Gaang instead of Zuko..? Talk about combining all four elements, that's what. What is she keeping from her new friends that might upset the balance in their 'family? [starts at ep.09, light canon pairings, later MariZu, rated for mild language, flaring tempers and fantasy violence, R&R please! [MILD HIATUS]]
1. Kaigan Dōri

A/N: _now before you lot start badgering me about if this is a sequel to The In-Betweens of Fire and Ice, __**NO**__ it __**ISN'T**__. so do enjoy, and i hope you like this one as much as my first ATLA story. again, enjoy! _

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Kaigan Dōri_**

* * *

"You sure you're going to be all right?"

The girl turned back to hear the concern in his voice, meeting the older man's hazel stare.

He'd taken her in only a few weeks ago, out of the pouring rain like if she were a puppy-cub or something dismally weak like that, catching sight of the girl shortly after a poorly-done pilfering plot, offering shelter to 'a girl that shouldn't be out in the wilderness on her own', so he said.

If it was one thing she learned in her solitude, kindness to strangers was rare and stretched few and far in-between.

Amber eyes softening a smidge, she nodded and shrugged the long cylindrical parcel onto the back of her right shoulder out of habit. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She smiled gratefully and bowed briefly out of respect, straightening to trod off down the path without another word.

It was an hour or so later that she finally succumbed to the relative-quietness of the forest around her, the trees that lined either side of the dirt road standing proud and tall, allowing the clear blue sky of the afternoon to act as an umbrella to the loner whose black boots crunched softly on the dirt path she walked.

For the esteemed-rough age of sixteen, she didn't profess to act like any other girl her age would. Solitude taught her to be patient, quick-thinking, and above all else, wary.

She was skinny, not scrawny or frail like a bird, though she liked to consider herself nimble; not lanky or willowy, either, moreso average than anything; her complexion was pale despite the fact that she had traveled in the sun for months; though her shoulder-length mane of wild black hair was usually down, she often put it into a high ponytail or a loose braid if she felt the urge.

Today it was in a loose braid draped onto her left shoulder.

She didn't dress feminine, instead more like a boy, deeming that pants were much more comfortable to wear than skirts, and a tunic with a simple undershirt whose sleeves were cut off at the elbow made movement easier than if she wore a blouse; ever since she'd started traveling south, she took to wearing grays and jade greens, save for her black boots that were comfortable and had managed to carry her so far.

A soft growl sounded from her stomach, making the girl briefly pause; she made a face, mentally kicking herself for not taking the man up on his offer for breakfast.

Sighing, she kept going along the path, hoping to soon find a market. She didn't have much money, but she only hoped she could at least get something into her grumbling belly.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Luck was with her today.

Ignoring the slightly leering look the vendor gave, she tossed a couple of silver pieces onto the tabletop for the bag of four apples she'd picked out, turning to leave before the comments would fly; once she had turned a corner, she snagged one apple out of the bag and bit into it, her shoulders practically slumping in relief at finally eating something.

A loud crash sounded nearby, making her jump; she hurried towards the source of the noise, skidding to a halt just short of the opening of another alley, seeing a blur of what appeared to be blue and yellow race past her.

_Don't get involved, don't interfere: it's not your business, it's nothing of your concern_…

Curiosity was a potent thing sometimes.

"Who wants to get a taste of my blades first?" The slim-faced pirate drawled, brandishing his daggers.

A sharp boot connected with the man's mid-back hard, sending him sprawling face-first into the dead-end's floor.  
"I always thought pirates knew better catch-phrases." She dusted her pants off, scowling down at the knocked-over man.

"Why you little…!"

"Get her!"

The girl ducked the swipes the two other men still present attempted to snag her with, a stoic look on her face, hands clasped at her back slipping one of her own daggers free of the sheath melded into the back of her belt; her amber eyes tightened minutely.

"Duck!" The boy in yellow from the dead-end of the alley exclaimed, swinging the staff in his hands forward in a sharp arch; a gust of wind slapped the two pirates in the front and sent them flying back, the girl caught between them having ducked low in time.

"Oi how did you…?" She didn't get to ask as soon the trio were taking off from the ground on what appeared to be a glider, the wings orange, with the boy in yellow controlling the direction, the girl and other boy in blue clinging to him for dear life; knowing the pirates were going to regain themselves soon, she did the only sensible thing she could think of and grabbed hold of the second boy's left leg.

She shut her eyes closed tightly as they gained altitude, soon not feeling the ground beneath her feet, and this made her eyes stay closed shut, vainly hoping they'd land somewhere.

Far from the pirates.

* * *

The strangest sight greeted her once they'd landed.

A beast that appeared to be an air-bison with beige fur and brown arrow markings loomed tall, strangely intimidating and fluffy at the same time.

This was so weird.

"Hey, hello? You didn't answer our questions!" A voice nearby jerked her out of her amazement, probably the second boy she'd escaped with; he sounded older than the one in yellow, probably a year younger than her.

Turning to face the trio, she was met with the tanned face of the older boy, his blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at her; he looked to be a few inches taller than her, a short ponytail of brown hair tied at the back of his head, donning a blue longsleeve tunic over navy leggings and brown boots, her eyes returning sharply to meet his glare.

She raised one thin black brow, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're very snippy, aren't you?" She finally replied, her calm and usually level voice carrying a bored tone in her snarky reply.

The boy's glare furrowed in annoyance; "Knock it off, Sokka." The voice of the girl declared with a slightly-exasperated tone from behind, earning a brief scowl from the older boy.

The girl looked to be at least thirteen, her skin tone and brown hair drawn into a long braid at her back leaving little-to-no-room for her to guess they were siblings, her large blue eyes narrowed slightly in a scowl that was meant for the one named Sokka, as she sidestepped him to approach the girl he'd been interrogating for the past few minutes; her garb was much like her brother's, another sign they either hailed from the Southern or Northern Water Tribe. "I'm sorry about my brother; he's kind of an idiot around new people we meet." The girl put on a friendly smile that earned her other brow to lift in mild curiosity. "Thanks for your help back there; those pirates didn't really know what they had coming." She half-joked.

She shrugged, easing her posture at seeing there was one friendly face, expression shifting to neutral. "Don't mention it; you guys were cornered, figuratively. What were you lot doing in that place, anyway; from the way the pirates were chasing you, it didn't look like they wanted you over for lunch." She wondered, lifting a brow again.

"That's a great question, actually! Oh yeah, I'm Aang, and this's Katara; you've already met Sokka." The boy in yellow, one she noticed had blue arrow tattoos on his head and hands, a bright grin and gentle gray eyes, introduced, the bright grin in place; a light chittering sounded before the sight of a winged-lemur with black and white fur and big green eyes poked up from behind his head, its large ears twitching as it examined the girl. "And that's Momo and Appa!" He added jovially.

She smiled a little, "Nice to meet you; the name's Mariko." She blinked when the lemur hopped up into the air to dart down onto her, perching on her right shoulder, a furry paw rooting around in the inner folds of her sleeveless hunter-green tunic for something he'd scented; his paw whipped back out to present one of the apples she'd bought before he began eating it happily.

"Momo, don't be rude like that!" The girl named Katara chided, slightly embarrassed about their group's pet's behavior.

The older girl chuckled, waving it off, "It's okay, I don't mind! He's a cute little guy, anyway," she said, reaching to pet the lemur's head gently with two fingers as he ate.

"Oh, great, another animal lover. Look, thanks for saving our skins earlier, but if you don't mind, we've got somewhere to be." Sokka groused, turning his back on the trio.

Mariko raised a brow again before shrugging, watching the lemur hop off her shoulder to go back to their campsite, "The sentiment's mutual, then. I don't wanna intrude anymore, if you lot feel so strongly." She mused, starting to walk away.

"You don't have to leave," Aang popped up infront of her as she was leaving, seeing surprise register on her pretty face; he smiled lightly, "You look like you can hold your own pretty well; why not stay with us?" He asked, perking her ears.

She blinked once, hesitating for a second; it'd been so long since she'd had friends, and even then she wasn't much of a social butterfly. Always reserved when around strangers, for as long as she could remember… "Okay."

She was fine being alone, it suited her; she never had to please anyone… So would a new batch of friends be that bad to accept?

::::::::dOb::::::::

When she came back from early-morning meditation, the campsite was vacant.  
_Well_ _crap_.

She perked up to see there were signs of someone being dragged in the ground; a struggle… Her eyes narrowed. She took off running in the direction the tracks led, slowing her pace to a trot until she came to the first layer of trees that met the shore of the river on the opposite side, pressing her back against one particularly bulky tree that hid her from the scene on the shore.

Poking her head out, she widened her eyes a little at seeing the gathered pirate crew plus some soldiers clad in Fire Nation red congregated around the members of her company, apparently in the middle of a bartering deal; the head of the Fire Nation pack was what threw her off guard completely, and were she not accustomed to being quiet and keeping her presence unawares, she would've been spotted in a heartbeat.

She knew those gold eyes that were narrowed in a scowl, the high ponytail at the back of his head, and the flame-shaped scar that marred the left side of his face; she'd been there that day, after all, the day he'd been marked… It was a day she had ranked as one of the worst days in her short life.

But no, her loyalty shouldn't waver; not today, not when she had more pressing matters to focus on aside from the boy she'd sought after for the past three years.

Mariko slid her eyes closed, tuning in more clearly to the conversation going on, letting the rekindled embers of relief steered towards now seeing the prince die down to be taken over by the fire that had sparked in the pit of her stomach, igniting and swelling, coming to life as it had long ago when she was younger.

"Give me the boy." The prince bit out.

"You give us the scroll." The pirate captain growled back.

Sokka, thinking on his feet, piped up, "You're really going to trade _the_ _Avatar_ for a stupid piece of _parchment!?_" He asked incredulously.

The prince seemed to glare venomously in his direction, "Don't listen to him, he's trying to turn us against each other!"

_No, really?_

"Your _friend_ is the Avatar?" The captain asked in surprise, seeming to look at the boy in question.

"Sure is, and I'll bet he'd fetch a better price on the market than that fancy scroll!" Sokka sang lightly.

The prince ground out, frustrated, "Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!"

The airbender muttered a warning, but the older boy was on a roll, "I'm just saying! Imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar… You guys would be _set_ for _life_."

The pirates seemed to rethink their original plan, "Keep the scroll." The captain said, "We can buy a hundred when we get the reward for the kid." Shuffling of feet, the men walking away.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me." The prince thundered.

And like that, chaos reigned on the shore; blasts of fire were thrown, a rushing of feet, shouts and yells ensuing, dust flying alongside the smoke coming from smokescreens.

A sharp '_zing_' sounded nearby, and she poked her head out to see the captain and prince locked with each other, venomous glares set on their brows; she clicked her tongue.

It was as if she wasn't in control, her body moving of its own will; she broke from the trees, body twisting, left hand and foot extended as she sent a barreling blast of orange flames screaming at the captain, sending him flying.

The prince had watched his opponent be knocked clean off his feet by an unknown blast of fire; gold eyes flying to the source, they widened in shock at seeing the one responsible.

A girl at average height with pale skin and amber eyes stood there to the side, green and gray coloring her garb, her wild black hair drawn halfway up with a little bit of fringe shielding her hairline, parted to the right.

Gold and amber met, sparking ghosts of memories as their gazes held: a childhood spent together, not knowing they had been promised to each other at the age of seven, of sparring matches and sarcastic barbs traded and laughter; all that changed the day he had faced his own father in an Agni-Kai at the age of thirteen, the day he'd been branded…

"Mariko."

Her stoic look faltered at hearing him speak her name, as only he could say it in a way that reminded her of a different prince, a bright-eyed boy zealous for his father's love and goals; she wanted to smile, to throw her arms around him even, but now wasn't the time.

She dipped her head down in a curt nod, turning to lope away from him towards the battle.

The look in her eyes he'd seen was a mixture of things, but the one thing that stood out was the silent message that said, '_You're welcome, Zuko_.'

::::::::dOb::::::::

Her blue eyes lit up, "The scroll!"

"Ah-ah, first, what did you learn?" Her brother put up a hand to stop her, an aloof look on his face.

She nicked the parchment from his hand, making him blink and utter an annoyed noise; she opened it up, looking at the various poses. "All that for a _scroll?_ Geez," she grumbled, rolling it back up and tossing it to the younger girl.

"I was trying to teach a life-lesson to my kid sister!" Sokka exclaimed in irritation at having his 'master plan' foiled.

Mariko eyed him briefly, rolling them with a sigh. "'Stealing is wrong', yeah, yeah, we know. Don't have to be so smug about one simple lesson, Sokka." She said.

"Why did we ever drag you with us…?" He groused between gritted teeth, giving her a death glare.

His sister chuckled, a cheeky expression on her face, "I'm glad to see you two getting along."

The older girl smirked wryly, looking at him innocently as said boy grumbled under his breath, defeated for the day.

* * *

A/N: _so did you guys like it? hate it? i would so appreciate some feedback~. i will __**not **__update until i get feedback! that's the rule. lol  
__  
***Kaigan Dōri - Asian Kung-Fu Generation**_


	2. Tree-Hugging Vigilante Secrets

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

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**_Tree-Hugging Vigilante Secrets_**

* * *

"Walking stinks! How do people get around without a flying bison?" The young Avatar complained.

"It helps to not think about it much, actually," the older girl of the group offered absently as she walked at the back next to said oversized beast.

"Were you a nomad before we met, then, Mari?" The younger girl wondered, glancing back at hearing her speak for the first time since they'd left their campsite.

She shrugged, "I guess you could call it that. I've been on my own for the past three years, and it didn't bother me as much as you'd think it would."

"No _wonder_ you're weird." The older boy of their group grumbled.

Having overheard him, Mariko pursed her lips, tipping her chin up with a huff. "Oi, Aang, to answer your question, let's ask Sokka's instincts! They seem to know just about anything and everything a fifteen-year-old would know," she said brightly, noting the older boy stiffened slightly at her sarcasm.

"Haha, very funny," Sokka rolled his eyes.

"I'm tired of carrying this pack," Aang groused.

Katara was next, "You know who you should ask to carry the pack for a while? Sokka's instincts!" She said in the same bright tone.

"That's a great idea! Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind…?"

"Okay, okay, I get it! Look, I'm tired too, but the important thing is that we're safe from the Fire… Nation…" His instincts weren't too sharp, were they?

An encampment of soldiers awaited them in the clearing, the occupants donning that familiar crimson red; life stilled in the clearing as the occupants slowly turned their sights onto the quartet of teenagers.

A squeaked out '_run!_' sounded from the appointed leader of their group before a fireball jetted past them to ignite a bush, forcing the quartet to be caged in; putting out the growing embers that had caught onto the boy's blue sleeve, the four teenagers shifted into stances.

"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you!" Sokka wagered.

Mariko wanted to slap her forehead. "That's the worst bluff I've ever heard!" She hissed from her spot between him and Aang.

"What're you doing?" Katara hissed at him.

"Bluffing," Sokka answered in the same tone.

"You, promise not to hurt us?" The soldier that looked to be in charge, a captain or lieutenant, if she had to guess, drawled, before he suddenly fell forward onto the ground.

"Nice one, Sokka!" Aang smiled.

Mariko drew a dagger from her belt, "That wasn't him." She mused grimly.

"Look!" Katara pointed to the trees behind the campsite, earning the trio to follow her extended finger's trajectory.

A blur of red and brown dropped down with two swords in hand, knocking down two soldiers and then taking another two and knocking them down on either side of their leader so all three lay sprawled.

"You make it look too easy," the older girl huffed, slipping away from her place to join the brawl and lunge at the soldier nearest, a boot connecting with his jaw and knocking him back to crash into a tent, nimbly swerving to the right to evade a ball of fire sent in her direction; she smirked a little, running towards the offensive firebender and dodging the fire he sent in a vain attempt to burn her, perking up as a curved sword yanked the firebender's wrist sharply to the left, pulling his body with it, knocking him on his face.

The once-blur of red and brown took the shape of a lanky boy with bushy brown hair and deep-set brown eyes, a stalk of wheat in the corner of his mouth; he smirked at her. "Hey."

Mariko eased her stance and flicked her wrist, sheathing the dagger and scowling. "That would've been my kill if your bent sword didn't get in the way. Next time watch it, tree boy." She sniffed, striding up to him to poke his chest with a finger, before walking away to her friends.

"Mariko, what was that for? He just saved us!" Katara reproached as soon as she neared her, glancing over her shoulder.

The older girl glanced back to see he was coming near them and she bristled, huffing. "So what? We could've handled these idiots; besides, I don't need my skin saved by some tree-hugging hotshot." She bit out, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well that's cold, judging me before you even know my name." The boy in question declared in mock hurt as he stood before both girls.

"Pfft, please," Mariko rolled her eyes, stomping away to go check on the two boys in their group. "Oi, Sokka, remind me to brain you next time you call out a crappy bluff like the one you did earlier." She said when she neared her age-mate.

Sokka made a face that earned an amused smirk from the girl, huffing. "Well how was I supposed to know those soldiers were here?" He groused.

"Because the universe loves to screw with you," Mariko said off-handedly, looking over to see the youngest member of their group talking animatedly with two of the boys that accompanied the 'tree-hugging hotshot'; she rolled her eyes again, offering a slight smile at his effortless way of making friends.

It was a few minutes later that she noticed the guys in his group were busy rifling through the soldiers' supplies lying around the campsite; she lifted one brow, glancing to the shade of a nearby tree to see Katara talking with said boy, shaking her head a little and deciding to go gather the younger girl so they could leave before they were asked to stick around.

Something about this guy ruffled her feathers, and not in the good way, either.

"Making friends?" She asked blandly, coming to stand near her fellow female.

The younger girl smiled at her, "Mari, this's Jet, and the guys he's with are his Freedom Fighters. Isn't that cool?" She introduced.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "Yeah, amazing. Look, I hate to break up the little conquest-after-party, but we need to get moving." She said sarcastically, grabbing the younger girl's wrist and starting to leave.

"What's the hurry? Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark," The christened Jet challenged behind her.

Mariko looked at him over her shoulder to see he had an amused and lazy smirk on his lips; she turned to face him, an annoyed scowl crossing her pretty face. "No, I just have a problem with jerk-offs that think they can swoop a girl off her feet with a killer smile; by the way, don't ever think you can pull that crap with me. Got it?" She gave him one of her most dangerous glares.

Jet raised a hand in defense, the amusement gone from his small smirk. "You got it, Your Highness." He half-joked wryly.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"You're back early."

He looked up to see her drop down from one of the lines, landing nimbly and coming to sit with him. He lowered his gaze, "Shouldn't you be fawning over that idiot?" He wondered.

She plonked down next to him, slugging him lightly. "Guys like that make me sick. What's with you, though; you look a little more sullen than you did yesterday." She replied, watching him rub his arm gently.

He began to answer when the airbender dropped down infront of them, looking happy as a clam.

"Sokka, Mari, look what The Duke gave me!" Aang giggled, pulling out a small berry-sized ball from his pocket and grinning playfully as he tossed it at Momo's footing, watching sparks fly from the broken ball, to which the lemur hissed like a cat and then hopped up to grab the rest of them and chuck them at his footing, making the boy yelp out 'Ow' a few times.

Mariko rolled her eyes, smirking gently before Katara came down from their temporary hut, looking around for someone; she lifted a brow.

"Hey guys, is Jet back?" Katara asked curiously (the older girl now noticed she was holding something behind her back).

"Yeah he is, but we're leaving!" Sokka answered stiffly, making both younger members of their group perk up.

"'Leaving'?" Aang and Katara asked in chorus.

Mariko smiled brightly, "Good." The sooner they left, the better.

"But I just made him this hat!" Katara made a face, showing a poofy red hat that earned a slight grimace from her fellow girl.

"Your boyfriend Jet's a thug," Sokka informed darkly, scowling.

"What? No he's not," she defended quickly.

"He's messed up, Katara," he rebutted.

"No he's not; Jet's just got a different way of life, a really fun way of life." Aang added.

Sokka scowled again, "He beat and harmed an innocent old man!" He stated.

Mariko scowled slightly, straightening. "I knew there was something off about him."

"I want to hear Jet's side of the story," Katara said stubbornly, folding her arms.

Several minutes passed as they went to go confront said boy about his deed, half the group distrusting, the other half wanting to believe he was right.  
"I knew there was an explanation." Katara sighed in relief once everything was settled.

Mariko stepped away to yank the dagger out of the stump, examining the blade. "It looks more like something he'd keep on his person to protect himself in the wild; I can see _why_, though." She added the last bit sorely, shooting him a look.

Jet raised a brow, "What's that mean?" He asked, playing dumb.

"_Don't_ act stupid. Even though you're trying to justify mugging an old man, you can't deny that you threatened to hurt him." Mariko bit out accusingly.

"Mariko, Jet wouldn't do such a thing." Katara declared behind her.

She huffed, turning to her. "Believe what you want to believe, but I know a liar when I see one. I'm heading back to the hut." She stated, not sparing the boy another look as she left the hut stiff-leggedly.

She half-wondered if the spirits were doing this just to screw with her patience; even if they were, they sure were doing a mucked-up job of it.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Come on, move along!"

She peered around the tree's width to see them leading him further and further along the beaten path.

Something fishy had been going on since they'd had that talk with Jet the night before, and going on instincts, she had tailed Sokka as he'd snuck out to tail Jet, Smellerbee, Pipsqueak and a few other boys; she'd kept her distance though, for fear of being found out.

So far she remained out of sight and out of range, luckily.

"Listen, Sokka, Jet's a great leader; we follow what he says, and things always turn out okay." Pipsqueak's deep voice pointed out as she hopped onto the next tree's farthest-reaching branch and landed neatly.

Deeming it was time to show, Mariko swung down from one lower branch and then another until she was closer to the ground by at least six feet; she felt the fire rekindle and ignite sharply in her belly, inhaling and then exhaling softly, leaping the remaining feet down.

"Except for today that is." She called leisurely, making all three teens turn to see her standing there; she smirked. "Liars are liars true and true, even unto the grave." She swung out her right foot, sending a sharp jet of orange flames to divide Smellerbee and Pipsqueak from Sokka.

"You're a firebender?" Sokka demanded in shock, watching her ease her stance, practically seeing the fire that had swelled inside her shining brilliantly in her amber eyes.

Mariko shrugged lightly, "I'll explain later, for now, **duck**!" She ordered, dodging the lunge Smellerbee attempted, her own dagger coming up to block her sharp swing.

"I thought there was something off about you; too pretty, too cocky to be a simple girl!" Smellerbee bit out venomously, shoving her weight onto the girl.

Mariko scowled blankly at her, her left ankle connecting with her skinny right leg and twisting her so she was knocked back to crash into a tree hard, her head drooping down.

A loud snarl sounded from the right as Pipsqueak came barreling forward, his tree-branch club brandished; she ducked the clumsy swings he sent, ducking lower on one particular swing so she twisted on her right heel and formed a ring of fire to lash out and send him reeling back for fear of being burned.

The nimble firebender bolted forward and sucker-punched him hard right between the eyes with her extended left fist, hopping off him as the big Freedom Fighter fell like a sack of rocks onto the ground.

Mariko dusted herself off, huffing. "Some Freedom Fighters," she muttered, trodding over to her friend. "Sokka, you okay?" She asked.

Sokka gave her a scowl, crossing his arms, "Why didn't you say you were a firebender? Why didn't you tell us?" He demanded, seeing her pause.

She lowered her gaze, amber eyes saddening a little. "I thought you guys would hate me if I told you that I was from the Fire Nation. Sokka, I didn't want to lie to you, or Katara and Aang. I never meant to hurt you, okay? I swear." She looked up at him with sincerity in her stare, holding his blue gaze.

He searched her face for any sign that she was lying, that she was just like the rest of them… but came up short: she was telling the truth.

Sokka looked away briefly, shutting his eyes closed; he exhaled steadily. "Okay, okay. I… I believe you."

Mariko's face brightened; she beamed, throwing her arms around him in a brief hug that left him blushing, pulling back to smile. "Thank you, Sokka!" She saw him look away again out of embarrassment and giggled, smiling again. "Come on, we've got a town to warn, right?" She asked.

Both teenagers set off to go warn the Earth Kingdom town, vainly hoping they could get there before all hell broke loose on the valley.

* * *

Mariko placed a hand on her shoulder, meeting her blue eyes. "You alright?" She asked.

Katara cast her gaze down briefly, fiddling with her skirt hem, "Mari, I owe you an apology. I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I was being stupid and getting ahead of myself… Are we still friends?" She asked, looking up at her beneath her brow tentatively.

She smiled softly, nodding. "Friends." She retracted her hand, sitting back against the saddle. "Don't beat yourself up over him, though, Kat; guys like that aren't worth the misery." She added, running a hand through her hair she'd pulled out of the loose ponytail.

"Ms. Advice-Column, isn't there something you want to tell them?" Sokka called from the front seat, having been steering the bison in the wrong direction until Aang commented on his error, now steering in the right direction.

"Oh, right." Mariko sent him a look and made a note to beat him upside the head later on, exhaling and looking to both Aang and Katara; she flicked her wrist, summoning a small spout of fire to appear in her right palm.

Twin gasps of surprise escaped the young duo; "You're a firebender!" "Why didn't you tell us before?"

She extinguished the flames with ease, sighing. "I didn't think you would want me around if you found out. I've been keeping it a secret ever since we met, until today." She looked at their appointed leader. "I used it to save Sokka's neck, earlier, when Smellerbee and Pipsqueak had him. And I used it the other day with the pirates, and Zuko." A sad light appeared on her face when she said his name, lowering her gaze to the dark gray color of her pants.

"Are you kidding? This is great! That means you can teach me firebending!" Aang chirped, perking her ears.

Mariko blinked once at his exclamation before her face softened and she smiled wryly. "You think so, huh?" At his vigorous nod, she chuckled, "It's not easy, I'll give you that; it took me at least a few years to get the basics mastered. Though once you master waterbending, I'll see if you're ready for me to teach you. How's that sound?" He was too eager to learn firebending, but she knew he had to at least master water and earth before learning fire; it would probably be a while before he could master the lattermost.

"I kinda wanted to learn it early, but if that's what you think, then I'll try that first." Aang nodded again, getting a slightly sheepish look on his face. "Um, so should I start calling you Cifu Mariko?" He asked.

The older girl blinked again before she laughed quietly, smiling. "Just master waterbending first, then we'll talk about nicknames, Aang." She said, to which he pouted a little before complying with her advice.

* * *

A/N: _don't fret, we'll be seeing Mr. Trouble again. okay, the review thing isn't mandatory, but it would feel nice to see i didn't make this a failure attempt. anyway, i've got almost ten chapters covered so i'm going to try and keep the updates regular. _

_oh and to answer __**Guest**__, that's going to come up but prolly not until book 3 (i'm covering all three books, btw). i've got a little twist planned for book 3, and another twist for book 2.. am i going to tell you? of course not, what kind of writer do you take me for~? ;D_  
_i will offer a couple of hints though:_

_**Book II - Jin isn't the only Number-One-Customer at Zuko and Iroh's teashop**_

_**Book III - Mariko's homecoming **_


	3. Panda-Lilies, Bean-Curd Puffs & Fortunes

A/N: _short, chapter is short. sorry!_

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Panda-Lilies, Bean-Curd Puffs and Fortunes**_

* * *

Now it was strange that they'd gone through a bad storm-borderline-typhoon –to which they'd survived, of course, and then both Sokka and Katara had gotten sick a few days afterward (she'd managed to avoid becoming ill due to her makeshift tent she'd made during those few days until they were able to travel again, deeming the cave quarantined), and now they were going to see a fortune-teller?

Her life couldn't get any weirder… But then again, whatever deity residing in the heavens above just adored making her life weirder each morning she awoke.

Most of the time she disliked it, but some days she could stomach it… Today was one of the latter days.

"I still can't believe we're in this whacked place…" She muttered as she stood closer to Sokka.

A girl entered the room from the back, earning a mild glance; she wore a violet and purple robe with long sleeves and she only looked to be twelve or thirteen, was as tan as Katara, though what struck her the most was that her bushy black hair was drawn up into twin braids on either side of her head that made her look as if she had antlers.

She valiantly fought the amused look and kept a stoic mask on her face, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"My name is Maang, and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant." The girl informed; whatever she was about to say next was silenced as her eyes fell on the bald head of Aang. Her brown eyes warmed in something she could only guess was affection, "Hello there." She said to him.

Aang looked up boredly, "Hello."

"Can I get you some tea, or some bean-curd puffs?" Maang asked as she gestured the quartet seat themselves to the right of the room infront of a folding screen.

Sokka piped up, "I'll try a curd puff!"

She put up a hand to silence him, "Just a second," she doubled a little to be at the airbender's eye level, attention drawn to the boy, "So what's your name?" She asked.

"Aang."

"That rhymes with Maang! And you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?"

The boy blinked, making a face that showed he was slightly uncomfortable, glancing at one of his ears. "Um, I guess…?"

"Don't be modest, they're _huge!_" Sokka boasted, stifling a yelp when Mariko whacked him sharply on the side of his head, shooting her a look that she met with a reproachful scowl.

"Well, Aang, it's nice to meet you… _Very_ nice." Maang smiled a little too sweetly to the boy, shuffling away to go fetch some refreshments.

"Likewise," Aang said absently.

"Ow, what was that for?" Sokka hissed to the older girl.

Mariko folded her arms, "Be nice; it's a wonder your luck's been off today. First the fish, then the platypus-bear's egg cracking on your cast-iron head, and then the downpour." She listed, all the while keeping her eyes closed in a serene expression.

"I didn't know you believed in fortune-telling, Mari," Aang said, looking at her curiously.

"I don't put much stock in what most sensible people think is hokum, though I do have an open mind with certain things. That and I know bad luck when I see it." She answered with a slight smile, ignoring the snort from the boy to her left.

"I can't believe we're here in the House of Nonsense," Sokka groused.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Try to have an open mind, Sokka; there're things in this world that just can't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice if you had some insight into your future? And besides, Mariko and I are at least open-minded."

"It would be nice to have some bean-curd puffs… And anyway, that's only because you're girls!"

**_THWACK_**.

"Says the boy who got cowed by a fighting squad of female warriors on Kyoshi Island," Mariko said dryly as she had him in a headlock, tugging on his right ear, a pointed scowl on her brow.

"Ow, ow! W-wait you **told** her!?" Sokka complained, being released reluctantly by the girl.

Katara snickered, "She asked." She answered with a shrug.

It wasn't long before Maang returned with four tea cups and two bowls of bean-curd puffs on a tray.

"Oh, Maang, Aunt Wu just told me my fortune; she said I would meet my true love today! He's going to give me a rare panda-lily." A woman declared as she came out from a session, gushing over having her fortune read.

"That's so romantic! I wonder if my true love would give me a rare flower…" Maang sighed dreamily, looking over at the boy she'd been ogling.

Aang waved absently, "Good luck with that."

"Is that the big-eared guy Aunt Wu said you would marry?" The woman said in a hushed tone, before being ushered away by the blushing girl.

She shuffled towards the quartet and fumbled slightly and would've fallen forward if Aang didn't reach out to catch her, making sure the contents weren't spilled on his lap.

Their eyes met; blush coloring her cheeks, Maang gave up custody of the tray with a squeaked, 'Enjoy your snack!'

Before Sokka could inhale one batch of puffs, a woman came forward, looking to be in her sixties at least, with gray hair and yellow and gold robes and a gold hairpiece in her kept-back hair. "Welcome, young travelers. Now, who's next? Don't be shy…" The woman (apparently this was Aunt Wu, judging by her air) invited, smiling warmly at the quartet.

Mariko, Sokka, and Aang looked to one another before Katara volunteered and both she and the old woman went to the back.

Momo hopped onto Mariko's shoulder as she handed him a handful of puffs, munching on the ones in the second bowl.

Aang looked off to where the two females had gone, twitching a smidge, rubbing the back of his hairless head, "So… what do you think they're talking about, back there?"

"Oh, prolly nothing special; love, who she's gonna marry, how many babies she's gonna have…" Sokka listed boredly, taking a sip of tea.

Mariko noticed the last two things perked his acclaimed-big ears, sipping her tea. "Mundane things, then." She surmised, moving the bowl away from a grabby white paw.

"Right, dumb stuff like that… Well, I gotta find a bathroom!" Aang popped up to go find a toilet, shuffling away to dash out the back.

"Huh, you might be right after all, Sokka." Mariko mused, grabbing another handful of puffs and placing them on the floor, letting the lemur swoop down to munch as she relaxed.

"Thank you… About what?" Sokka looked up at her from lounging on his right side, munching on the puffs.

She chuckled, "Nothing much."

* * *

The heat from the lava that conglomerated in the trenches was almost unbearable.

Being a firebender, she was used to the heat, but raw heat from an active volcano was something she had to get accustomed to… and fast.

"It's not going to hold," she muttered, breaking away from her friends to hop onto the closest trench lip, inhaling and then extending her left hand's palm, bending her fore, pinky, and thumb down, channeling the fumes from the lava outward with her right hand's two fingers pointed skyward, maintaining her stance as best she could.

Normally a stance like that wasn't considered elementary when it came to firebending, but an old friend of hers had taught her how to channel smoke through her fingers when she was twelve.

"Mariko, let go!" Aang declared behind her, perking her ears, breaking her concentration.

She eased her stance, looking at him as he hopped high into the air, dropping down to blow air on the rising wave of lava, keeping it up so the lava formed into an arched wall that seemed to shield the village.

"Airbending does wonders." Mariko hummed quietly as she had retreated to stand alongside Sokka and Katara, smiling in admiration.

"Wow, sometimes I forget just how powerful a bender that kid is," Sokka said in likewise admiration.

Katara blinked, "Wait, what'd you just say?"

"Nothing, just that he's a powerful bender." Sokka shrugged.

She slowly looked up at the tamed volcano, seeming to realize something. "I guess so."

* * *

A/N: _i did mention there would be light canon pairings, didn't i? _


	4. Au de Shirshu

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Au de Shirshu**_

* * *

"Are you sure you don't wanna come?"

"Nah, I'll stick around with Appa."

She watched them leave, smiling lightly when a spare glance was thrown in her direction from the airbender, the smile lessening as they left the abbey, turning to plop down near the bison.

The man the two siblings left with seemed like he'd be on the mend soon, give or take a few days, which was a relief.  
His proposition for them to stay and meet their father, after so long… She stared up at the sky, resting her head in the bison's thick arm.

Would she go? Or would she stay with Aang? She sighed, brushing some strands of hair from her cheek absently, closing her eyes.

It was a while later when the bison she'd napped on arose, making her yelp and then scramble to her feet, looking around quickly to see the group returned with Sokka in the lead; her eyes registered he was pissed about something and she looked to his sister next, seeing a heartbroken expression on her younger face. Something was up.

"Is everything okay…?" She asked warily, watching the boy hop onto the saddle to retrieve his bags, tossing the sleeping bag that belonged to his sister down so she caught it. "Sokka?"

"No, everything's _not_ okay." He answered briskly, shrugging his bags onto his back.

"Mariko, are you going to stay with Aang… Or do you want to come with us?" His sister asked once she had her bags, looking at the older girl.

She hesitated briefly, glancing at the boy to see he was sullen, exhaling. "Someone has to make sure Aang gets to the North Pole safely, right? Besides, if finding your father is so dire, then go on. We'll be fine, Katara." She turned to the girl, smiling warmly.

She nodded, giving a half smile that didn't reach her blue eyes, turning to follow her brother and Bato out of the abbey.

Mariko watched them leave with a small frown, sighing and looking at the airbender. "Aang, are you ready?" She asked quietly, meeting his gray eyes as he sat perched on the bison's head.

Aang nodded, letting her climb onto the saddle, looking to the Sister Superior, "I guess we should leave, right?" He guessed.

"That would be best." The nun nodded, watching the two teens leave the abbey riding the large bison.

"I'm an idiot, Momo." Aang muttered when they came to the gate, looking off to where the trio of Water Tribe members had gone, their forms growing smaller and smaller by the second.

Mariko shuffled to plop down next to him on the bison's head, patting his shoulder. "It's okay, Aang. Besides, at least you're not going alone. You've got Appa and Momo, and me." She tried to comfort him.

He met her concerned amber eyes and smiled a little, nodding. "Thanks for wanting to come, Mari."

She shrugged, getting accustomed to her spot, relaxing against the bison. "You're welcome; it's what friends are for, right?" She smiled back.

He smiled again, even though the smile didn't reach his eyes, steering Appa in the opposite direction.

::::::::dOb::::::::

He pulled on the reins to adjust them so they wouldn't be loose, "you never mentioned why you were on your own for three years."

She looked at him from his spot on the bison's head, smiling a little and relaxing on the saddle. "To tell the truth, I've been looking for someone. I thought I saw him, back when I met you guys… but I'm not sure if it was him or not. He… he was banished, almost three years now, and I've been tailing him since."

The younger boy continued adjusting the reins. "He must be someone important, then."

She nodded, chuckling wryly. "His father thinks he's a disgrace, and his sister too, but he's someone important to me. He was my best friend since we were five, and even though his family doesn't want him home because of stupid things he's done, I do. I always thought when we were kids that we'd stick together for as long as possible, no matter what." She watched a few birds pass by, huffing a little. "Of course he's a turtle-duck with two left feet when it comes to girls. But I don't know, I guess I just want him to be okay, I want him to be the sweet boy he once was, before everything happened… but life apparently loves to mess with people that're close to me." She smiled thoughtfully, looking over at him. "I'm sorry I rambled; I musta sounded like a hopeless romantic or something like that…" She chuckled weakly.

"No, you just sound like you really miss him. It's understandable, Mari." He smiled assuringly, meeting her amber eyes when she sat up and supported her weight on her elbows to meet his gaze.

She nodded, smiling faintly. "Thanks for listening, Aang..."

"Avatar Aang, you must leave!" Both teenagers blinked when the Sister Superior from the abbey came forward from the break in the trees.

Aang made a face, "Okay, okay, I get it! Everyone wants me gone…"

"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you!"

Mariko raised a brow, "Who?"

"A strange woman with a horrible monster, and a young man with a scar…"

"Zuko." Aang bit out; Mariko's eyes sharpened alertly.

"The beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow you." She added.

"A necklace…? Katara!" Both teenagers realized in surprise.

* * *

"Oi!" A whip of fire sailed at the strange beast, making it snarl in annoyance.

She met the beast's rider, brown meeting amber. "Keep your disgusting paws off my friend." She flew forward, hopping out of the way of the beast's flicking tongue, summoning the whip again and cracking it sharply, being met with another snarl.

The woman riding the beast snapped the whip sharper than the fire-whip had, making the animal sprint for the firebender.

"Mariko?" He glanced over his shoulder to see her outrunning the beast at top speed, cracking the whip once or twice between dodging getting paralyzed by the tongue, hopping onto the low-sitting rooftop.

The mole-beast started to reach her before the girl hopped up and cracked the whip hard, making the tip burn the beast's muzzle; with a roar of pain, its reared position fell back, knocking off its rider.

She huffed, extinguishing the whip and hurrying to the felled bison, rubbing his nose gently. "Appa? Are you alright, boy?" She continued rubbing, watching one of his brown eyes look to her before he uttered a quiet groan.

A vial of perfume was held out, making her meet the blue stare of the younger girl; she nodded and took it, letting Appa inhale it.

With another groan the flying bison rose up onto his feet, shaking his pelt.

"Thanks, Katara." She smiled at the girl.

She shrugged, "Don't mention it. You two might want to stand back though; Sokka's got an idea on how to beat that monster." She informed.

She nodded, hopping onto his head and steering him to a safe spot, watching from her place on the beast's head to see the younger girl waterbending the spilled perfume from the giant pots to have it drench the beast, Aang, and Zuko (the former had been cornered by the latter). Soon the beast went wild, lashing out at anything near it, before it scrambled over one of the walls and fled the abbey.

_All's well that ends well_, she mused, petting Appa's head before hopping down to go inspect the scene.

The paralyzed prince glanced to the side to see her approaching him, his uncle, and the bounty hunter's forms. "Mariko… What're you doing here? Why're you helping the Avatar?" He still managed to sound pissy, even paralyzed from the neck down.

Mariko smiled a little, folding her arms. "That's an explanation for another day. For now, I've gotta go. I just came to say hello; see you later, Zuko. Nice seeing you again as well, General Iroh." She added, waving slightly to his uncle before she turned away to rejoin her friends, leaving the confused prince in her wake.

"What was that all about?" Sokka demanded curiously once she was onboard the bison's saddle.

"It's nothing; right, Aang?" Mariko shrugged, winking at the boy.

Aang hesitated as the pieces clicked together before nodding, smiling with her. "Right!"

Zuko was the boy she'd spoken of, the boy she'd chased for the past few years… But did they underestimate him after all?

* * *

A/N: _i'm trying to make it so Mari's past is revealed little by little until i get to book three. just to answer any curious readers' questions. (:_


	5. Deserters True and True

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Deserters True and True_**

* * *

Mariko chuckled at seeing Appa's attempt to hide behind a shrub that looked too small for him, smirking.

"Ready disguises," Aang signaled them, earning her attention; both Sokka and Katara pulled the hoods of their blue cloaks over their heads in a mock-elegant manner, whereas Aang pulled his shirt over his head to shield his arrows.

She sweatdropped, exhaling and pulling her hair up into a high ponytail, noting her hair had gotten longer.

"Hey, why aren't you getting disguised?" Sokka nudged her as they started down the slope to the valley town that was lit up with bright lantern-lights in the distance.

Mariko nudged him back, "You forget, O Observant One that I was born in the Fire Nation." She remarked simply.

"Oh, right."

"Yep."

It was quiet as they entered the outskirts, the noise of conglomerated Fire Nation citizens humming and then becoming an explosive noise around them that consisted of chatter and calls and laughter about the mundane topics that buzzed around.

It was almost like a festive version of the Fire Nation capital, Caldera.

Mariko smiled at the similarities, sweatdropping when seeing her friends hesitate to walk past a parading dragon-dog painted red and gold, walking ahead of them. "Come on, you lot," she urged, hearing them follow shortly at her heels.

"I think we need some new disguises…" Katara mused as she kept close to Aang, noticing they were underdressed, glancing at the various festive masquerade masks the citizens donned.

Locating a mask vendor not long afterward, the quartet –well moreso the three that weren't natives of the Fire Nation, that is—felt safer now that they were dressed properly.

The firebender adjusted the gray fox mask with crimson trim on the ears and snout, nodding to her friends' choice in mask-wear, following the boys alongside the waterbender as her brother made a beeline for the nearest food vendor, asking what he had to sell.

Both girls deadpanned behind the masks when Sokka inhaled at least two handfuls of Fire Flakes and then seemed to realize they were spicy, turning his head and spitting them out, coughing.

"Flaming Fire Flakes. Hot." Katara folded her arms.

Mariko shook her head, taking the pouch of snacks from his hand as he fanned his overheated maw, popping a few into her mouth. "They're pretty good to me." She shrugged, dipping her head briefly in a thankful nod to the vendor, ignoring the scowl from the boy who'd almost burned his mouth off.

Aang turned his attention to a puppet show nearby, letting his friends trail after him.

"Don't worry, loyal citizens; noone can surprise the Fire Lord!" The puppet of Fire Lord Ozai (which was a crude and accurate imitation, if she thought on it) exclaimed, before a second puppet of an Earth Kingdom soldier popped up to the side, earning a few warning cries from the audience of kids; the Ozai puppet turned and blasted a spout of fire from his mouth at the Earth Kingdom soldier, burning the puppet, earning applause from the audience.

Mariko wanted to slap her forehead but instead she shook her head and turned away with Katara, Aang and Sokka following shortly.

"Aang wait, where're you going?" Katara asked as he scurried off towards a large crowd near the center of the town, leaving the older teenagers to follow him.

"I dunno, but there's a big crowd, so it must be something good." Aang answered aimlessly as they got closer to the audience.

Sokka seemed to roll his eyes, "Knowing the Fire Nation, it's probably an execution."

Mariko hit the back of his head reproachfully. "Be glad it's not _your_ execution."

They watched the firebender on stage make doves fly up from the trio of flaming fireballs with a flick of the wrist, prompting applause from the audience. "For my next trick, I'll need a volunteer from the audience!" The performer declared, looking over the faces of the crowd, sights resting on the girl with the lady mask on, "How about you, little lady?" He declared, extending a hand to her.

"Um, I dunno…" Katara shrank back a little.

Mariko sweatdropped when the performer requested some encouragement from the audience (which he got), letting him usher the younger girl onstage to be tied up for his next trick; she folded her arms and watched, knowing it was just a fake-out skit, judging by the dragon he'd forged from flames, but the fact that he was threatening to let it burn the girl set her the slightest bit on edge.

Sokka would be pissed beyond belief if anything like that happened to his sister.

"What're you _doing!?_" She growled when the airbender –who didn't think the performer would think twice to spare the tied-up Katara—hopped onstage to use a funnel of air to divert the dragon, making confetti rise up from the remains, ignoring the grumbled complaint from the performer. "Dammit."

The audience booed the obvious airbender that smiled sheepishly and tried to dance his way into their good graces as Sokka hopped onstage to untie his sister. "Hey, that kid's the Avatar!" One of the audience exclaimed in realization.

It couldn't get any worse than this…

Guards surrounded the stage then as Sokka mentioned something about bailing and Mariko hopped onstage with them, blinking when a stranger in a gray cloak gestured they follow him out; she grabbed his sleeve and sprinted to the stranger with both water- and airbender following shortly, the five hurrying away from the guards as fast as possible.

Well, she might as well get used to desertion when it came to the Fire Nation…

"This way! …Er, okay, not this way!" The stranger leading the group skidded to a halt as a group of guards had the end of one street blocked off.

"Head that way," the firebender ordered, grunting and swinging her right foot out, sending a flamethrower screaming at the guards, turning to sprint after her friends at top speed, grabbing onto the waterbender's arm in time as they dived down one alley and then skidding to a halt at the apparent dead-end of the alley they'd dived into.

Footsteps sounded behind, making the group turn to see another batch of guards had cornered them, brandishing their weapons.  
Spears; no benders.

Mariko glared past the narrow eyeholes of the mask, body shifting into a stance as the stranger stood next to her, a smoke-ball ready to throw. _Is this guy even a bender? Smoke-balls make for good escape, but real fire does better in a fight_, she wondered.

"Appa, down here!" Aang was saying, perking her ears as she looked up to see the bison dropping down and landing between them and the guards; with a slap of his large tail, he sent them flying as a gust of wind followed.

The group piled onto the bison's saddle in no-time flat and were soon airborne.

Winding up the last smoke-ball, the stranger chucked it down onto the stored fireworks; Mariko flicked her wrist and sent a small fireball following shortly to create a bigger bang, watching them fizzle and then fly high into the sky as the fireworks covered their escape.

"That was a close one." Sokka muttered.

Katara turned to their firebender friend, "Quick thinking, Mari…" Her words trailed off as the older girl kept her eyes on the stranger.

"Don't give me all the credit; I'd think you owe us an explanation of why you helped us back there." Mariko was speaking to the stranger, pulling her mask off, amber eyes trained on the man. "Spill."

::::::::dOb::::::::

_Jeong-Jeong the Deserter?_ She folded her arms at her chest, looking to the thick mist surrounding the swamp-barracks they were currently in. _He might've known Father, or at least known General Iroh… I've heard stories about him, but up until today I thought they were just stories..._

The quartet perked up when their guide (who'd called himself Chay) came forward from the hut farthest away from the shed they were huddled around, which had to belong to Jeong-Jeong.

"What happened? Can I see Jeong-Jeong now?" Aang was the first to speak, sitting upright from having tried to doze off.

"He says he won't see you; he's very upset because I brought you here. He wants you to leave now." Chay informed, crestfallen, as he plonked down against the barrack wall.

"Finally! Let's hit the road," Sokka said as he sat up as well.

Mariko rolled her eyes, finger-combing part of her black hair. "It doesn't surprise me; if he deserted the Fire Nation it's only right he want to keep to himself out here, especially so close to a town taken over by the very people he's stayed away from for a while." She noted. At seeing the odd looks she got from her friends, she sweatdropped and added –albeit a little defensively on her part, "I've only heard stories about Jeong-Jeong's desertion since I was a kid." She shrugged.

Aang, still determined, piped up, "but why won't he see me?" He turned to Chay.

"He says you're not ready, that you haven't mastered waterbending, or earthbending yet…" Chay began.

"How'd he figure that out?" Mariko couldn't help but ask, vaguely wondering if the old man had a sixth sense or something.

Chay answered them both, "He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell!"

"I'm going in, anyway," Aang decided as he stood to go see the strange man.

Katara looked at Mariko, "Do you think he'll be okay; y'know, that Jeong-Jeong won't hurt him?" She dared wonder.

Mariko shrugged, watching the boy walk away, continuing to comb her fingers through her hair. "He's the Avatar; if Jeong-Jeong's as wise as I've heard he is, then the chances he'll try to burn Aang aren't very likely." She assured.

Sokka huffed, "Even so, if he tries anything, there wouldn't be many witnesses… Ow, hey!" He winced when she whacked him again.

"I've been traveling with you guys for weeks now, and I'm a firebender! Didja ever think once that not all firebenders are evil?" Mariko scolded, scowling pointedly at him as he rubbed his head gingerly.

Chay, who'd been observing the chat, chuckled a little, "Firebenders do have a temper, though…" He blinked when the girl sent him a death glare; he straightened quickly, laughing sheepishly. "Um, but they're nice people too!" Sometimes.

_Sometimes_.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Aang, watch it, you'll hurt yourself!"

She broke her concentration to sigh and hop down from the roof of the hut they'd been staying in, coming over to where Aang was practicing, blinking and coming to a halt at seeing a ball of fire in his hands. "Whoa, Jeong-Jeong knew what he was doing after all." She mused aloud, slightly proud of the kid.

Aang beamed at the praise, looking down at the fire, "I wonder how that juggler did it…" He shifted his stance, bending slightly before extending his arms out, sending the flames to encircle the patch of pond in a wheel; life seemed to slow as he watched the flames dance and then connect with Katara's extended hands.

"Katara!" Mariko exclaimed, extinguishing the flames sharply with a flick of her right wrist, hurrying to the girl's side. "Crap, you're burnt…" She muttered an oath as she kneeled next to the waterbender that was trying to hold back the tears of pain at being burned; she looked up to see an expression caught between hurt and anguish written on Aang's face, amber eyes saddening as she realized that he didn't mean to burn Katara.

_It was just an accident_.

"Katara, what happened!?" As if things couldn't get worse, Sokka rushed forward, kneeling on the girl's other side, looking up at the boy as he had come closer to see if she was okay. "What'd you do!?" He demanded angrily, blue eyes tight.

"I-it was an accident! Katara, I'm sorry, I…" Aang tried to explain before Sokka tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

"This is your fault! I told you not to do it, and look what you did! You burned my sister!" Sokka exclaimed.

All three looked at the injured girl as she turned away to go tend to her burns.

Mariko straightened and glared stonily at Sokka before she cut her gaze away and hurried after the girl's trail, soon finding her by the shore of the river, holding her hands to her chest gingerly. "Katara," she said softly as she crouched at her side, meeting her puffy blue stare before the younger girl tentatively lowered her hands into the water, letting the older girl see the burns.

She bit her lip, looking down, "I should've warned you to not be so close to him when he was practicing; of course I didn't think he'd master creating a fireball so soon, but even so. Fire is difficult to master at an early stage; Jeong-Jeong was right when he said it was alive. I'm sorry you got burned, Kat…" Her words trailed off as a soft blue glow came from beneath the water, coming from her hands; her eyes widened in surprise, noting the same surprise on the waterbender's face towards the glow.

"You have healing abilities." Both girls looked to see Jeong-Jeong coming forward, seeming to have seen the glow as well, "The great benders of the Water Tribe sometimes have this ability. I've always wished I were blessed like you, free from this burning curse." He said the last bit darkly.

"But you're a great master; you have powers I'll never know." Katara argued in slight awe.

Jeong-Jeong countered quietly, "Water brings healing and life; fire only brings destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor-edge line between humanity and savagery... Eventually we're torn apart."

Mariko quieted, nodding a little as his words sank in, perking up as she had the vaguest sensation that something was coming.  
And coming fast…

A blast of fire hit the surface of the water infront of them, another trio hitting where they sat, the third having almost hit the two firebenders and one waterbender had the deserter not blocked it in time, leaving the two girls to scramble to their feet.

"Go get your friends and leave here; if you come back, we'll all be destroyed! Hurry!" Jeong-Jeong ordered the girls.

"Jeong-Jeong," Mariko began before Katara yanked on her wrist and dragged her with her at a sprint into the darkness of the trees.

Sokka seemed to tense slightly when they returned, Katara shrugging past him after asking where Aang was, leaving him with Mariko; she hadn't been too happy earlier when he'd knocked Aang over after he'd burned his sister on accident. "Hey."

"I'm sorry about earlier; I didn't warn her about staying back when he would be practicing. For now we've got trouble; Zhao's on his way here. I think he got Jeong-Jeong." Mariko offered a brief smile before her face turned serious and she looked over to the rest of the river.

He made to say something when Aang zipped past them in the direction the girls had come; "Aang wait!" She barked and began to follow when Sokka grabbed her wrist from behind.

"Let him handle it!" He declared, blue locking on amber.

She jerked her sleeve free, scowling determinedly. "Jeong-Jeong's helped us as best as possible; it'd be in poor taste to not return the favor." She turned to bolt after the boy into the trees, skidding to a halt short of his side as she made it in time.

"Jeong-Jeong!" The boy called; the deserter glanced over at the two teenagers and a knowing spark appeared in his gaze before he formed a ball of fire around himself as Zhao's soldiers sent at least five fire-blasts at where he stood, disappearing from sight.

"It's a trick; he's run off into the woods! Find him!" Zhao, an iron-jaw soldier donning the traditional Fire Nation red and topknot of brown hair, thick sideburns and brown eyes, commanded, sending his subordinates off as he turned to the two teenage witnesses. "Let's see what my old teacher has taught you." He drawled lowly.

Aang balked slightly, "**_You_** were Jeong-Jeong's student?" He asked.

Mariko huffed as she stood tall, amber eyes narrowed. "His teachings were wasted on you, then." She lunged and sent a bout of fire screaming at him; she'd heard of Zhao's strength through the grapevine when she was still in the Fire Nation, of course he was a captain then. By now he'd probably been promoted a few ranks.

He extinguished the bout with a flick of his wrist, sneering slightly at the spitfire teenager. "Admiral Khan's daughter. It's been a long time; last I remember, you were only half a foot shorter than you are now… You're turning into a lovely girl, Lady Mariko." A snarl of annoyance silenced him as she twisted on her heel, sending a flamethrower screaming at him, to which he blocked with his own blast of fire.

Mariko felt her teeth grit as her jaw tightened, fighting the nostalgia, "Leave my family out of this and go crawling back to Caldera like the spineless jerkoff you are." She sprinted forward, twisting on her right heel again and forming a ring of fire that sailed at him.

"You fight just as weak as that pathetic brat you were betrothed to, just as weak as Prince Zuko!" Zhao snarled as his stance shifted and he sent a cartwheel of orange flames at the girl.

A battle cry sounded as she leaped over the cartwheel, the edges barely touching the heels of her boots; she punched down at him, sending fierce bouts of flame down at his footing, anywhere she could hit, landing in a neat crouch yards infront of the admiral, panting slightly, her frame shaking with anger and the adrenaline she always felt when neck-deep in a fight.

"Mariko!" She looked to see the boy hurrying over; her eyes sharpened as Zhao turned to him. "Aang, run!" She ordered, watching a blast of fire be sent screaming at the airbender. "**No**!"

He dodged with ease, slightly surprising the girl, watching the flames having shot past him to set a brush aflame. "Whoa, wild shot!"

"I'll show you wild." Zhao bit out, sending another several blasts at the nimble-footed boy that zipped from the shore to one of his motorboats.

_He's dodging on purpose!_ Amber eyes widened in surprise and slight admiration, watching the airbender sidestepping and bobbing and weaving around the blasts of fire aimed at him, now noticing the ships he was bouncing off of were catching fire. Mariko smiled slowly at his ingenious maneuvering, the admiration for her friend growing.

Aang was a wise kid.

"That was brilliant, Aang!" She embraced the boy once they were safely reunited with their friends, pulling back to grin at him.

The boy smiled back, shrugging. "You kinda wore him down for me, so it was a combined effort." He mused, seeing her blink and then her cheeks color slight pink.

Mariko smiled humbly, turning to climb onto the bison's saddle with the waterbender, Aang soon joining them as he took the reins from Sokka.

"Wait, where's Jeong-Jeong?" Aang asked once they were taking off, looking at the siblings.

Sokka looked down at the abandoned campsite, "He disappeared. They all did."

The firebender smiled a little, relaxing against the saddle once they were higher in the clouds, mildly glancing to see the airbender letting the bison fly as he joined them in the saddle.

"Aang, you're burned," Katara noted the burn on his right arm, gesturing for his hand; she pulled water from the leather sack, placing both water-coated hands over his burn and exhaling, watching the water glow blue before she removed her hands, healing the injury so it looked like there was none.

"Wow, that's some good water." Aang said in appreciation.

Sokka looked at his sister, "How'd you do that?"

"I guess I always knew," Katara shrugged, earning a look from the second girl.

Mariko smiled thoughtfully, sitting up and stretching her arms, rubbing her neck.

"Oh, well thanks for all the first-aid over the years. Like the time I was stuck in the grease-fire bramble, or the other time where I got two fish-hooks stuck in my thumb!" Sokka complained, showing his right thumb for emphasis.

"'Two'?" Aang looked at his sister.

Katara smiled amusedly, "he tried to get the first fish-hook out with another fish-hook."

Mariko deadpanned. "Why doesn't that surprise me…?"

"Oh, and that time the minx-snake bit me; that was great… that was really great…" He added sarcastically.

Both fire- and waterbender sweatdropped, "_Give it a rest already!_" They declared in chorus.

* * *

A/N: _i was anxious to cover the Deserter episode because of Mariko. anyway, the next two chaps will cover the Northern Water Tribe episodes, just a head's up._


	6. Icy Flames, Pt I

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Icy Flames, Pt. I_**

* * *

"What on earth are you guys going on about…? C-crap!" She yelped and clung to the saddle's ridge tightly as the bison swerved to the side to avoid hitting something, not getting another chance to complain due to the next few dangerous moves performed by their steed. "Dammit, Aang, what the hell!?" She managed, having already awoken from her nap and now clinging to the saddle like a scared cat, perking up as a formation of ice came to ensnare the bison, halting their movement.

Two or three narrow canoes carrying parties clad in blue came forward from amongst the glacier outcroppings, some maneuvering the direction the boats went with a flourish of their hands.

"Waterbenders?" Mariko spoke in an uncharacteristically-small voice, blinking once or twice before it dawned on her that they'd made it to the North Pole. "Hey, we made it!" She declared, beaming at the sight of at least several more canoes.

The waterbenders then escorted the quartet to the front gates of the Northern Water Tribe, which was (like everything else that was surrounded by the frigid waters of the North Pole) made of ice, the symbol for the Water Tribe carved on the front; the entourage opened a portal for the bison to pass through, and soon they were past the gate and going deeper into the great ice city, headed straight for the main building in the center that seemed to stretch closer to the high cliff-face of what appeared to be an ice-covered mountain.

As fortified as it was, Mariko realized she was the first firebender to set foot inside the icy city of the Northern Water Tribe.

_The first firebender_… She shuddered even though she didn't feel cold, stuffing her gloved hands into the pocket of her gray parka (she'd picked one up when they went to go explore the Northern Air Temple a few days (or was it a week ago?) prior).

"It's beautiful here," Katara said in awe next to her.

Sokka sighed dreamily, making both girls look over at him as he'd slid onto the tip of the bison's tail to watch a passing canoe go by. "Yeah… she is."  
The girls shared a look before rolling their eyes.

::::::::dOb::::::::

He obviously couldn't keep his eyes off her.

Being perceptive when it came to boys –aside from the fact that she'd had practice reading their often-simple-minded one-track minds on occasion in her travels—the firebender elbowed her friend gently from her seat between he and his sister. "She's pretty." She mused softly.

"I-I wasn't looking at her…" He turned on her, blushing dark pink despite his proclamation, being met with a knowing look.

The older girl rolled her eyes, smiling amusedly, turning her attention to the waterbenders' performance with mild admiration; the one in the middle, the graying old man, seemed like he'd be as rigorous as Jeong-Jeong was.

_Aang's got his work cut out for him_, she thought, glancing at the boy to the far right, the waterbender at his left that sat between them; she smiled a little, returning her attention to the performance. _Katara does too_.

God help them both.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Momo's chittering stirred her from meditation.

She opened an eye at the lemur's big green eyes that were on her, his furry head tilting to the side. "I know, it looks boring." She mused, sighing and relaxing her posture as the pet rested his smaller body on her shoulders. "It's not like I can go out there so flippantly, though. Not with my _pedigree_."

Daughter of Admiral Khan, purebred firebender born and raised in the Fire Nation for thirteen years.

_It's not like I can go back home, not after what happened with Jeong-Jeong_, she thought, recalling the squabble with Zhao, his words that still stung each time she let her mind go back to that day.

'_You fight just like that pathetic brat you're betrothed to, weak like Prince Zuko!_'

Mariko scowled, looking to the window of their ice hut, amber eyes somber_. I haven't seen him since that incident at the abbey… I wonder if he's alright_… "Zuko." She shut her eyes closed.

Momo hopped up and off as the girl stood abruptly and pulled her parka on, cocking his head to the side again.

"Come on, Mo; I'm not going to sit and sulk here." Being aggressive about fighting off depression wasn't usually her strong suit, but she had to do something.

It never did anyone good to sit and mope, now did it?

Mariko inhaled as she stepped out into the growing afternoon, deciding to get a breath of fresh (cold) air… and pray to whatever deity residing in the heavens that she could shake off her depression.

* * *

_Time was slowed down.  
She wanted to scream, to warn him of the impending explosion soon to happen._

_His gold eyes rested on the sight of a reptile-bird perched on deck's railing, its yellow eyes glinting evilly; realization seized him, but it was too late._

_Like fireworks, brilliant orange and red flames shattered the glass of the helms-room window, a vibrant explosion setting the ship aflame_…

"**No**!" Mariko cried, sitting up sharply, her heart beating rapidly in her chest and soon in her ears like excited drums; her widened amber eyes zipped from one side of the darkened hut to the other before she slowly calmed, recalling her surroundings, the spooked noises that came from her friends also sharing the hut with her. She shuddered, hating that her dream had been so vivid, so real…

"Mariko?" A groggy voice sounded to the side, earning an amber glance from her, only to meet the sleepy blue eyes of the waterbender girl. "Is something wrong?" Katara asked quietly after having calmed the boys and made them go back to sleep (it wasn't too hard, really, given how both Aang and Sokka were tired/ depressed).

She looked away briefly, smiling wanly at the younger girl. "No, just a bad dream. Sorry I woke you, and the boys." She replied assuringly.

She thought to press the matter further but decided against it, making a mental note to ask about it in the morning; so she nodded, believing her (for now). "It's okay." She patted her shoulder and smiled tiredly, "Sleep well, Mari." She shuffled away to curl up in her bed, leaving the older girl to do the same.

Mariko smiled a little at her, briefly envying her for being able to go back to sleep so easily, exhaling and turning to face the wall, curling into a ball and holding her sides, seeing his face in her mind, his scar-less face that held such high hopes before three years would take it away from under his feet so smoothly…

_Zuko_.

* * *

A/N: _sorry for the wait, i've been getting a few more chaps in. reference plus writing out fight scenes equals a week's worth of writing.. that and playing Pokemon SoulSilver added to it. ^^'_

_[to answer __**Guest**__, i don't mean to make her MS, but there is a method to my madness, so please sit tight, yeah? thanks for the reviews all ready.] _

_this is a shoutout to those of you who're being silent and just reading this story, but seriously, __**REVIEW**__ people. it's starting to piss me off, i mean is something wrong with my writing? what the hell's the hold-up? _

_seriously, i'm half-tempted to take this story off because it's so under-loved... _


	7. Icy Flames, Pt II

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Icy Flames, Pt. II_**

* * *

Both master and student deadpanned at the airbender-turned-snowman.

"Well that can always be his second career plan if being the Avatar backfires somewhere along the line." Mariko noted aloud from her place watching the sparring sessions on the steps; she'd awoken early with Katara and Aang to tag along and be a spectator mostly because she would be bored out of her mind if she stayed in the hut meditating. "Master Paku, I know this is unorthodox, but may I try my hand at sparring? I've never fought a waterbender before, and, well, I was getting bored." She turned her amber eyes onto the waterbending master, tilting her head to the side and jutting out her lower lip in an attempt to win him over.

The older man rolled his eyes at her failed attempt, seeing the surprise on the younger girl's face before he sighed. "Normally I wouldn't agree given our culture's standing on women fighting, but seeing how far Katara has progressed against a girl that appears to be more knowledgeable in fighting is a sight I'm sure the other students would find appealing. Very well." He complied.

She beamed, hopping up and leaping down the distance the steps had with the flat slab of ice that was the landing, landing neatly and shuffling forward to stand opposite her friend. "Here," she reached into the folds of her parka to toss one of her daggers at the younger girl, shrugging out of the parka after taking a spare one from her belt, watching her mirror her gesture. "Fist-fighting isn't really my forte, but I've been known to be pretty mean with a knife." She said calmly, adjusting her stance, right foot slipping behind her by a few inches, the dagger in her left hand lowering to her side, noting she followed suit. "You first."

Katara noted the calm confidence exuding from her older opponent and initiated the spar by sprinting for her, the dagger swinging sharply for her head, leaving her side open.

Mariko inwardly tutted, hiding her smirk as she side-stepped the charge, weaving around the clumsy strikes the waterbender attempted on her face, torso, neck, noting she was starting to get tired. "Good try." She praised, ducking low on one particularly sharp swing that would've been a critical hit to her jugular had she not seen it coming; twisting on her left heel, she swerved to stand at her back, swinging her dagger down on the younger girl's open shoulder.

A light 'klang' sounded in the mid-morning air, briefly surprising both girls and catching their audience by surprise (the apparent elder of the audience simply raised his brows in mild astonishment).

Panting slightly, Katara stared down against Mariko, their dagger blades having clashed with hers descending on the blunt side of her opponent's.

Mariko's neutral face broke into a grin. "You **do** catch on quick." She disengaged the blades with ease, retracting and digging her left heel into the slab, the grin present. "My turn." She lunged, pretending to go for her ribs on the left side but instead jamming her elbow in the knife's place, punting her away.

Katara bit back the twinge of pain, her face losing the grin and going back to neutral; she swung her knife-arm out to catch her side, missing when she narrowly dodged only to have her knife knocked out of her hand.

Blinking back the surprise, she aimed a fist at her out of reflex, unintentionally causing flames to engulf her hand.

A sharp pain radiated up and down her extended arm when it connected with a shield of ice.

The waterbender winced a little at being the cause for her bloody knuckles, taking a step back. "Mari, I didn't… It was on accident…" She started to apologize when the older girl raised a hand to quiet her.

The firebender exhaled, leveling her with a calm amber stare. "I know, it's alright, Kat. It'd be better if we took the fight a bit more seriously; sooner or later you'd have to learn how to fight someone like me anyway." She felt the fire sparkle and ignite happily in the pit of her belly; she shifted into a stance, watching the younger girl mirror her.

Katara attacked first, summoning twin wings of water to scream at her opponent; Mariko narrowly feinted to the right, right fist extending to send a sharp bout of orange and red flames at her.

Water and fire clashed brilliantly, leaving the audience –which was really just a few boys plus Aang and Momo and Master Paku—enraptured in the display.

Panting, the firebender relaxed her stance and scowled determinedly at the waterbender that was as out of breath as she was.

One more go.

Summoning a large wave of water and controlling it with a fluid motion of her hands, Katara grunted and sent it screaming at her in an array of sharp icicles.

Twisting and swerving her body, Mariko snarled as she sent a fierce cartwheel of flames jetting forward to clash with the ice.

As expected, the ice and fire clashed and as the flames were extinguished with ease, the icicles were reduced to slush that dropped unceremoniously onto the slab.

A draw.

Mariko straightened her stance, shoulders slightly shaking from the exertion, before she did the honorable thing and bowed respectively to her opponent.

Katara blinked in surprise before quickly doing the same as both girls straightened.

"Normally I'd insist we keep the spar going, but for today I'll handle a draw. Thanks for sparring with me, Kat; you really have gotten better." She said calmly, smiling in admiration.

"I should be thanking you, Mari; I've never really faced a fire-bender like that. You've gotten stronger, too." She nodded, smiling back, albeit humbly.

"You two were awesome!" Aang crowed as he zipped forward to congratulate his friends, beaming like a giddy child. "Mari, you were _definitely_ better than when you fought Zhao last time!" He added.

Both girls blinked once before smiling back.

Mariko shrugged, blushing a little. "Thanks, Aang…"

"I had a feeling you were not an ordinary 'nomad'." She winced slightly when Master Paku came forward as well, looking to her pointedly.

The older girl lowered her gaze shamefully. "Master Paku, please forgive me for not notifying you prior to the spar of my bending. I had no intention of lying, nor do I have any intention of bringing harm to your culture and tribe. The Northern Water Tribe has withstood a hundred years plus against the Fire Nation, so it would be stupid of me to betray your people's kindness." She bowed her head apologetically, keeping her eyes down.

Before anyone could say anything else, however, gray snow started falling with the soft snowfall that had begun minutes ago, tainting the pale white flooring of frost and slush with a dark gray color.

Soot and lots of it…

"Fire Nation."

::::::::dOb::::::::

"…Spirit of the Ocean, Spirit of the Moon, be with us! I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission." The Chief stated gravely.

"Count me in!" Sokka was the first to stand, surprising his friends plus the princess he'd apparently fallen for, his face contorted into a determined scowl.

More men stood as well, willing to fight.

_Well what will you do?_ The little nagging voice in the back of her mind demanded, stepping to the fore. _Will you stand idle and silently side with your nation or fight to protect a nation that doesn't belong to you?_

Her gloved hands fisted on her knees and she scowled at her dark gray pants, likewise determination covering her pretty face.

"Be warned; many of you will not return from this mission. Step forward to receive my mark."  
She saw the worry on his sister's face and placed a hand on her shoulder, meeting her blue eyes with an assuring amber stare; she slightly nodded, returning her eyes to the men who went to be given their mark by the Chief.

It wasn't long before they were ready and stood in the stillness that gnawed on the precipice between tension and chaos; a flaming rock screamed forward from being fired by one of the ships, crashing with the main gate of the city and making it tremble violently, cracking the symbol on the gate's outer face, another bomb crashing down on an upper ring of the city, creating chaos of the icy tribe's city.

"Aang, hang on!" She hopped onto the bison's neck with him, baffling the boy. She scowled stubbornly as he made to protest her being present, "They might be my people, but I'm not going to sit by and watch them destroy this great tribe." She added firmly, the fire that swelled in the pit of her gut sparkling brilliantly in her face, her amber eyes.

The airbender could only nod curtly and then they were flying off into the fray.

_God help me_.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Ow…" She muttered as she tightened the bandage on her left wrist, sighing and slumping against the wall. "Sixteen armada ships and they still wouldn't die… Is slaying a great nation really that dire to Zhao?" She wondered quietly.

She'd gone to the armory to see if they had spare bandages (she'd grazed her left wrist by narrowly dodging a fireball from one soldier before she'd sent him sailing overboard with a sharp bout of fire) and was now resting against the corridor wall just to catch her breath and wonder in what direction her loyalty was really going.

An angered cry sounded from somewhere down the hall, making her slightly jump, before she straightened and hurried to the source, skidding to a halt short of the weapons room to see two of the soldiers rolling around on the floor locked in a fight.

Upon closer inspection she recognized the one with the shorter ponytail; she'd recognize that lunk-head anywhere…

"Sokka, what're you doing!?" Mariko demanded as she tried to pull them apart only to be forced back when the second boy swung an arm out to deliver a punch to her friend's ribs.

"Both of you, enough!" The Chief ordered sharply as he stepped in and forced the two away from each other, the taller boy on one side and Sokka on the other. "Sokka, you're off the mission!" He added, shooing the spectators away.

Sokka balked slightly, blinking when he felt her hand grab his arm gently from the side, meeting his friend's amber eyes.

"All right, men, follow my lead! Everybody listen to what I say, and we'll take out this Admiral Cho in no time!" The taller boy announced smugly as he walked away with his comrades.

Mariko glared slightly after him, patting her friend's arm. "His name is Admiral Zhao, dumbass." She called bitingly to the taller boy.

He paused to look at the girl, taking in her slim figure and narrowed amber eyes, the mane of wild hair framing her face nicely; he smirked smoothly. "Is that right? Why're you hanging with this peasant when you could come watch me plan a strategy to take down that firebender?" He drawled.

She ignored the growled oath from her friend, giving him one of her deadly glares. "Egotistical dumbasses like you make me want to puke; piss off, Water Tribe." She spat at his feet, her eyes venomous.

The boy smirked again before leaving them be.

Mariko snorted, crossing her arms. "I can see why you were trying to kill him." She mused grimly.

"You didn't have to step in; I coulda handled it." Sokka declared next to her.

"I'll take that as a 'you're welcome'. That idiot's not worth the struggle anyway; he'll probably be killed on sight. Fire Nation soldiers don't take kindly to reckless fools who have their heads up their asses." Mariko pointed out, looking up at him.

Sokka quieted reluctantly, deeming her words correct, even though he felt bitter about the state of things. "Yeah, true. What were you doing here anyway? I thought you were with Katara." He wondered.

Mariko showed her bandaged wrist. "I couldn't find bandages so I came to the armory to see if you guys had any; Aang and I took down at least thirty ships out there. The idiots won't die though, they kept coming." She lowered her wrist, shrugging. "Even though it's my own people I'm fighting against, I can't stand to see them destroy the Water Tribe. It's not right." She mused quietly.

Nodding a little, his admiration for her expanded at seeing the apparent evidence that she meant what she said, even if it meant going against her own nation; he smiled slightly. "You both did what you could, though, right?" Sokka mused.

Smiling back, she nodded as well and then sighed. "Yeah." _Though I'm pretty sure I signed my own death warrant by taking down sixteen Fire Nation ships for the sake of the Northern Water Tribe_.

* * *

Dawn had come, bringing with it the full brunt of the assault.

Despite this she knew something was wrong, she felt it in the depths of her gut, and it was something that chilled her bones.

"Katara!" She hopped off the bison's back to greet her friend, seeing worry and anxiety color her face pale; her eyes sharpened slightly. "Where is he?" She asked.

"I-I don't know where he took him… Mariko, it was my fault! I…" She quieted when the older girl placed a hand on her shoulder, blue meeting amber.

She had a hard expression on her face, exhaling. "We'll find him. Yue, is there anything up there past the cliff-face?" She looked to the princess, amber eyes neutral.

Yue blinked once at the suddenness of her question before shaking her head. "No, there's only wasteland; it's uninhabitable terrain." She replied.

"That's perfect." Mariko smirked humorlessly, "I'm going to get a head-start, if you don't mind." She stepped away to hurry in the direction of the cliff-face.

"Mariko, wait!" Sokka barked, but his words fell on deaf ears as the firebender's stance shifted and she took off on flame-fueled rockets beneath her feet, jetting skyward to fly over the cliff-face and land on the high ledge.

She exhaled sharply and blew out a couple of fireballs before scowling determinedly and taking off into the howling winds of the blizzard.

It was with a bit of trepidation –she'd had to use the fire-rockets again to fly over a shattered part of the icy ground—that she made it further into the white wasteland, stopping to regain her breath and spout another fireball or two to make sure her breath of fire was still alive (which it was).

Peering past the howling wind and snow nipping at the exposed parts of her face, she caught sight of a small rise in the landscape, possible shelter from the storm; she beamed, inhaling and then taking off as fast as possible given the weather conditions.

Her dream she'd had of him dying in an explosion resurfaced briefly, but she fought the shiver and hoped beyond hope that he was here, that he was the one who'd taken Aang from the Spirit Oasis… He just had to be.

Once realizing the rise in the landscape was a small cave, she hurried the rest of the way, darting into the entrance and then doubling slightly to grip her knees, panting from having run so far.

A ball of fire narrowly missed her face when she straightened; sidestepping on habit, she looked to the one who'd thrown the fireball and widened her eyes in surprise.

Zuko's face was stony as he remained in a fighting stance; a few bruises and healing cuts marred his handsome face, one particular cut marking the top of the bridge of his nose.

He was alive, and he was here, he was actually here in the North Pole…

Mariko fought the prickling feeling of tears welling at seeing him still standing and stepping closer into the cave, pulling her hood down. "Zuko."

The stony face melted when she spoke his name, being replaced with a mixture of surprise and relief; he lowered his raised fists, some small part of him relieved to see she was here and a bigger part of him questioning how on earth she was here, that she was actually standing right infront of him with those brilliant amber eyes of hers that were teary… wait, was she crying?

She smiled warmly, relieved beyond belief that he was actually here, the relief overcoming the brief twinge of horror at realizing that her dream had been real after all… She broke the distance between them to throw her arms around the boy that was her childhood friend, the boy that was a banished prince… the boy that was her betrothed.

Almost teetering back, losing his balance, he regained it quickly and steadied them both, feeling her arms squeeze on his back and as he looked at her he could swear she shook slightly; was she really crying? Slightly awkwardly, he put his arms around her shoulders, noting that despite the coldness around them, she felt warm. He almost forgot the reason he'd come up to this frozen wasteland if not to feel surprise and just a hint of anger that she was here with him.

"God, you're an idiot." Mariko groaned, pulling away a little while still keeping her arms around him to give him a scolding look, "And you look terrible." She added on a quieter note, her jaw tightening slightly at giving his newly-acquired cuts and bruises another sweeping glance.

Zuko opened his mouth to rebut in a sardonic manner as he would've in a different time, but all that came was a slightly raspy chuckle, seeming to throw her for a loop; he looked away for a moment, sliding his eyes closed. "Like you're any smarter, coming out into this barren wasteland alone… Are you out of your mind? You could've frozen to death, Mariko!" His voice was a tad hoarse but the annoyed tone and serious scowl on his brow reminded her that he was a few months older than her and she could swear he was the slightest bit worried.

She would've smacked him on the chest at a younger age and different time, but she didn't; she was older, and she was more patient. So she shook her head a little and sighed. "So says the idiot prince who dragged the Avatar out here. Did you even think of a back-up plan if you got caught out here in this damn blizzard? You never think it through, Zuko; you've done this since we were little!" She stepped out of his grasp to regard him with a slightly disappointed look, her arms folding.

"I don't need a lecture! And besides, don't you think that I haven't thought of a plan yet? I have, Mariko! You haven't thought of a way out of here, have you?" He shot back, anger winning, settling on his brow that furrowed, mirroring her and crossing his arms.

"I…" She looked away then, her opened mouth closing shut, and he could swear her cheeks were turning pink. Whether from the rush of blood at finally letting her body come to a halt from all the movement she'd done previously, or from embarrassment, he wasn't sure. "I… Damn it, you're still a prat, no matter what happens." She inhaled and then exhaled steadily, her breath coming out in a soft fog. "We'll have to move from here at some point, hopefully soon, at least as soon as the blizzard dies down. We can't stay here forever." She declared evenly, taking on the responsibility of coming up with a plan.

Even when they were kids and got into trouble, Mariko was always the one with the level head; that's just how she was, for as long as he could remember. He had almost forgot how much he missed having her calm voice of reason there for him, especially at the lowest points in his life… He exhaled and nodded a little, shoving the nostalgia away. "Right." He now noted that she'd let her wild black hair grow, keeping it half-way up, preferably to keep her ears warm; his gold eyes seemed to soften.

"What're you staring at?" Mariko asked then, starting to feel awkward at being stared at; it usually made her feel just the slightest bit nervous. Instead of letting her nervousness show, she scowled pointedly and shifted her weight from one boot to the other, putting a fist on her hip.

Zuko blinked a couple of times before huffing and looking away, glancing at the still-unconscious airbender. "Nothing." He muttered, shuffling to sit down near the mouth of the cave.

She scowled slightly and then exhaled, giving up the option of starting an argument over something that was probably trivial, looking at the bound boy that was her friend and then going to join the prince, plopping down next to him.

He glanced at her in mild surprise before his face softened as he recalled how she would keep close to him when they were little, and it was more evident that she cared for him once his mother had left when he was nine.

Mariko was still his friend, even so much as to be considered his best friend, given he didn't have many friends growing up (his sister's friends didn't count, either). Of course time had matured her, made her taller and prettier and smarter than she had been in a more peaceful time. But she was still there beneath the surface.

Mariko was still Mariko… and for that, he was glad.

::::::::dOb::::::::

She looked back at her for the hundredth time as they crossed over the wasteland and were getting closer to the city.

She caught her stare, looking down at the boy she'd knocked unconscious earlier in the snow now resting with his head on her knee, exhaling. "Like I said, I'll explain things once this is over. _Please_ for the love of Tui and La, stop staring, Katara." She said with a slightly hard edge to her tired voice, amber eyes showing that her patience was beginning to wane.

Her brother looked at the girls, as did the princess; the younger girl made a face, opening her mouth to say something but for the exasperation in the firebender's pretty face she closed it and exhaled, looking to the distance. "Sorry." She mumbled.

She looked at the redness of the night sky and frowned, blinking when both Yue and Aang allowed a flicker of pain to show on their faces. "Yue, are you okay?" She asked quietly as Sokka asked the same of the princess.

"I feel faint." Yue answered quietly, to which Aang agreed. "The moon spirit is in trouble." Aang added.

The princess released her throbbing temples to lower her gaze, "I owe the moon spirit my life." At Sokka's confused tone in his question and Mariko's gesture for her to continue, she added, "When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born… but I was born as if I were asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could, but they told my parents that I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save my life; that night, under the full moon, they brought me to the Oasis and placed me in the pond. My hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry, and my parents knew I was going to live. That's why my mother named me Yue, for the moon." She said.

Mariko looked at the full moon and her brow furrowed as it clicked. "And if we don't get to the Oasis soon, we're all screwed. Appa, yip, yip!" She ordered, the anxiety starting to seep in and was quickly extinguished by her anger. "I have a bad feeling that Zhao has a lot to do with why the moon spirit is in danger." She added darkly.

They made it in time to catch the tail-end of a not-necessary monologue compliments of said admiral that was eloquently interrupted by a pounce from Momo.

"You forgot to mention '_Zhao the asshat'_." The female firebender drawled, amber eyes trained on the admiral and the squirming brown bag he was holding, her brow tightened.

"Don't bother," Zhao bit out coldly once noticing the fighting stances the teenage quartet were posed in, lifting a threatening hand to blast fire at the bagged koi fish.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang declared, lifting his hands in defense, pretending the older girl near him didn't stifle an oath of discontent.

"It's my destiny, to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe." Zhao stated.

Aang's tone was placating, trying to reason, "Destroying the moon won't affect just the Water Tribe. It'll hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world!" The fish squirmed in the bag again.

"He's right, Zhao." Mariko's eyes widened a little as she and the firebenders looked at the new voice that had entered the conversation.

"General Iroh. Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" Zhao drawled.

"I'm no traitor, Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the moon, too, everything depends on balance. Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash it upon you tenfold: let it go, now!" Iroh commanded, the dark expression on his face reminding her just how and why he had earned the title Dragon of the West years before she was born.

Reluctant to lower his threat to the spirit due to being threatened, the admiral complied and lowered the bag slowly, releasing the fish into the pond; the red color of the sky disappeared to be replaced with its velvety blackness, the essence of normal once again.

Of course things never played out so easily as you'd think they would.

With a snarl, Zhao flicked his wrist and set the white koi aflame, embers dancing across the pond surface, before the world turned gray as the moon spirit was slain.

A flamethrower screamed at the firebenders; joining into the fray, a blur of gray twisted on her left heel and summoned a cartwheel of fire to take two of the benders down, swerving to the side as the general took down another three; she caught the sideburn-wearing admiral fleeing and growled under her breath, sprinting after him at top speed.

"**Get back here**! **COWARD**!" Mariko bellowed, shifting her stance and extending both fists at his retreating back once he'd made it into the open, sending a wide flamethrower screaming at his open back.

Zhao twisted around to block her attack with a flick of his right wrist, staring down the livid teenager's dangerous amber glare. "You stupid brat, what hopes do you have of coming out on top of fighting me!?" He snarled as he sent a vicious bout of fire screaming at the girl.

She deflected the flames by quickly twisting the sword she'd drawn from her back, embers dancing vainly before fading; she lowered the katana, amber eyes cold, before she bolted and slammed her weight onto him, the curved blade's sharp side clashing with his wrist guard, brown and amber clashing heatedly, before his rising left fist coated in flames jerked her attention away from staring him down, and she leaped back, landing nimbly on the balls of her feet, having dodged the flames narrowly.

Before he could retaliate, a sharp jet of flames screamed past his left ear from above, making both firebenders look to see Zuko standing on a low wall, his gaze stony.

"Zuko!" Mariko beamed.

Zhao's angered expression faltered in surprise, "You're alive?"

"You tried to have me **killed**!" Zuko snarled as he sent a couple of fireballs at him, forcing him to bounce back and retreat onto the ledge of the wall.

Mariko froze in sheathing her sword, looking at him in horror. "You what...?" The dream made sense now… it wasn't a dream, _it was a vision!_

"Yes I did. You're the Blue Spirit, an enemy of the Fire Nation! You freed the Avatar…"

"_I had no choice!_" A few more fireballs were thrown.

"You should've chosen to accept your failure: you're a disgrace! Then, at least… you could've **lived**!" He flew forward at the prince.  
A hard boot heel clashed with his frontal lobe, sending him skidding back.

"Mariko…" He looked at her in surprise, quieting as he noticed her shoulders were trembling; his eyes sharpened.

"You…" The admiral growled as he shook his head, staggering into a straighter stance.

"H-how dare you… _**YOU BASTARD**!_" She snarled, bolting forward and unleashing several furious bouts of fire at him, her body twisting and swerving in a fluid blur of dark gray and orange and red, unrelenting as the horror and pain and anger mixed raced through her veins and kept her from backing down, pushing the admiral farther and farther away along the wall.

Zhao dug his heels into the icy ledge, panting slightly, arms raised to block his face from getting burned by her vicious attack, noticing she was slightly winded, her shoulders shaking in a mix of adrenaline and exhaustion.

"You pathetic leech! How dare you try to kill the crown prince, the rightful heir to the throne!? **How dare you try to kill Zuko**!" Mariko thundered loudly, her fists smoking and trembling at her sides.

She knew she couldn't blame this man for all that she had gone through, the pain and feeling of loss she'd withheld from her friends for the last few months, the separation from her best friend for three straight years, but this man was at least someone she could take it out on.

A narrow jet of fire whizzed past her right ear, sending her back a few steps, before another five or so bouts of flames screamed at her, forcing her to block and dodge, sending her on the defense; the breath left her lungs for a split second as she felt nothing under her right boot heel, scrambling onto the ledge quickly and barely putting up a sharp bout of fire before being knocked off by an angry flamethrower and sent tumbling.

"**NO**!" Zuko hurtled into Zhao angrily, orange and red becoming a blur as they battled, sending one vicious bout after another, becoming streaks of dark gray and pale gray highlighted by the color of the flames.

Mariko hopped onto the ledge from having used her fire-rockets to halt her fall, flopping onto the ice and panting slightly, shaking her head of the dizziness and straightening, noticing the two men had taken off, and judging by the blows, Zuko had Zhao on the run. She smiled a little, regaining her breath. "Thank you, Zu." She hurried after their trail, following the flashes of orange and red in the distance.

She was only a few buildings behind them when she noticed the color had returned; skidding to a halt, she looked up at the night sky and widened her eyes as she saw that the moon was there in all its bright and milky-white glory.

_The moon… it was back!_

"Aang." She started to turn and return to her friends but hesitated, looking down at the two firebenders locked in battle, and for what felt like the fourth time in her life, she was torn.

Stay with Zuko, or return to her friends?

Mariko deliberated one long second later before shaking her head, offering a sad smile to the prince; she turned to sprint back the way she'd come, the prickling tears breaking the dam that was her determination, slowly streaking down her pale cheeks.

"I beg of you, please let him be safe."

* * *

A/N: _not much to put. sorry._


	8. Beauty is Horror's Lightest Form

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Beauty is Horror's Lightest Form_**

* * *

"Welcome, Avatar Aang!"

She yawned widely and stretched her arms to the sky, shaking her head of now-messy black hair before boredly regarding the esteemed General Fong that had voiced his boisterous greeting.

"I am General Fong; and welcome to all you great heroes! Appa, Momo, Brave Sokka, Beautiful Mariko, the Mighty Katara!" He exclaimed, seeming to signal a round of fireworks to go off in the distance.

"'Mighty Katara'? I like that." The waterbender smiled proudly despite herself, crossing her arms.

The firebender smirked smoothly, "Aww, General you tease." She chuckled, turning to watch more fireworks sail high overhead to explode in various colors and formations.

The quartet were soon seated on a flat rock slab in the general's meeting room, four or so earthbenders stationed by the columns that were on either side of the main aisle of the large and spacious 'office'.

"Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you single-handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole. I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It must be an awesome responsibility." Fong stated, his words meant for the airbender.

He shrugged, "I try not to think about it too much."

"Avatar, I think you're ready to face the Fire Lord now." Fong smiled placidly as if that was the simplest thing in the world.

"What!? No I'm not!" Aang balked slightly.

Mariko cleared her throat, "General, if I might, Aang hasn't even mastered earth- or firebending, and you want him to just go up against Fire Lord Ozai unprepared?" She asked carefully, starting to get the distinct feeling that this man didn't have his head screwed on right.

"Mariko's right, Aang still has to master all four elements." Katara agreed from her seat on the boy's left side.

Fong was almost giddy about his epiphany, "Why? With the kind of power he possesses, power enough to destroy hundreds of battleships in a number of minutes, he could defeat the Fire Lord now!"

"But sir, the thing is, Aang can only do those things when he's in the Avatar State." Sokka cut in, seeming to share in the firebender's wariness.

As Aang began to explain what it was, Fong cut in rather abruptly, "I'm well aware." He said, "Your eyes and tattoos glow, and you're able to summon unbelievable power. Without you, we'd be slaughtered before we ever reach their shores… But with you leading the way, as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right to the heart of the Fire Nation." He said as he had stood and was gesturing on the map, pointing from the heart of the Earth Kingdom in a straight line to what appeared to be Caldera.

"Right… but I don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar State, much less when I'm there." Aang mused, lowering his eyes.

"So it's settled, then; I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State, and then you'll face your destiny." Fong said as he faced the quartet again as they straightened.

Katara spoke up, "No, nothing's decided! We already have a plan: Aang's pursuing his destiny his way."

Fong huffed slightly, "Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on. May I show you something?" He gestured to one window of the room and they shuffled over with him to look below and see what appeared to be an infirmary. "That's the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back… Every day the Fire Nation takes lives; people are dying, Aang! You could end it, now!"

Mariko wanted to hit him, silently seething at his audacity toward using the pity card; instead her upper lip curled and she closed her eyes, counting down from ten in the back of her head to control her anger.

::::::::dOb::::::::

At catching whiff of smoke, Katara lifted her head from the pillow, seeing a thin and almost-translucent wisp of smoke rising from Mariko's cot; she rubbed sand from her eyes, noting the older girl was mumbling under her breath as well. "Mari?"

"What is it?" Mariko bit out softly, the mumble mantra halted as she lifted her head a little.

"Are you burning something?" The younger girl asked.

She looked down to see her palms were exuding soft wisps of smoke from their grip they had on her sword she'd been polishing to vainly get herself to sleep; she inhaled deeply, exhaling and lowering the weapon next to her on the cot. "No, it's just a habit of mine; sorry. I was trying to get to sleep but I suppose I'm too pissed to get some rest. Don't worry, Kat, just go back to sleep." She replied quietly.

She nodded a little and lowered her head to the pillow. "Okay…" The room would've gone back to its peaceful quietness had Aang not chosen that moment to return from wherever it was he'd gone to.

"I told the General I'd help him by going into the Avatar State." Aang announced quietly as he shuffled back to sit on his cot.

Katara was the first to protest, "No, Aang! This isn't the right way…"

"Why not; remember when he took out the Fire Navy? He was incredible!" Sokka said from his cot.

"There's a right way to do this: practice, study, and discipline." Katara tried again.

Sokka shrugged nonchalantly, "Or just glow it up and stomp that Fire Lord."

Mariko snorted, "Like it's that easy! Ozai's many things, but he's no pushover." She mused grimly.

"If you two meatheads wanna throw away everything we've worked for, then glow it up!" Katara added bitingly as she lifted her arms in exasperation, starting to pace.

"Katara, I'm just being realistic! I don't have time to do this the right way." Aang protested albeit weakly, looking away as he seemed troubled by his decision.

Mariko lowered her gaze as well, sheathing the katana quietly in the black scabbard.

* * *

The earthen slab the desk was on pelted forward at the boy, sending him flying out of the office the crash had created.

"**Aang**!" Sokka and Mariko exclaimed in chorus and made to jump in when the two guards in Fong's office caught them from behind and held their arms behind their backs as Fong strode out to go fight against the boy.

"Let go, you idiots!" The girl growled as she struggled against the guard, biting back an oath when his hand dug deeper into her wrist to the point where it hurt; the sound of crashing rocks and Aang's desperate plea for the guards to back down came from the courtyard. _Well damn_. "Sokka, **now**!" She used her extended right foot to bend her knee sharply back so she hit the guard in his groin hard, forcing him to let her free as he swore colorfully; having already kicked the shin of his own guard, he sprinted to the opening in the room's wall to look down at the scene.

"We've gotta do something… Mari wait! Mariko!" Sokka cried as the firebender took off on her fire-rockets, making a beeline for the center where a blur of yellow and orange was fending off the various slabs of rock that were sent in his direction.

"_AANG GET DOWN!_" Mariko commanded as her body swerved and twisted in mid-air, forming a large and wide cartwheel of flames to take down as many soldiers as possible while she landed neatly next to the boy who'd ducked low in time.

"Men, don't hold back on that firebender!" Fong crowed to his remaining forces, sending a hulking slab of rock jetting towards the new threat.

"I have something special for you," she smirked humorlessly in his direction, leaping into the air to narrowly avoid the piece of earth aimed for where she stood, left foot and right fist swinging out to deliver a vicious blast of fire that screamed at where the general stood, twirling on her right heel to swing her left leg down sharply and send another bout of fire to chase the previous blast, landing in a crouched position.

Three soldiers riding ostrich-horses flew forward to apprehend the firebender; she narrowed her eyes angrily.

A slap was heard as a narrow whip of water smacked one soldier off his steed, another being wrapped in the same whip of water that sent him flying back. Blue met amber as both girls shared a nod, standing back to back, a whip of water in one hand and a whip of fire in the other.

"Maybe you can avoid me, but they can't!" Fong proclaimed to the airbender that had skidded to a halt as several rock-discs formed and circled the two girls.

Katara struck first, the water whip flying in his direction and it would've hit had he not summoned a bit of earth to render the whip into nothing but sand.

Mariko growled and sprinted for him at top speed, the whip cracking and aiming for his face if she didn't feel the ground beneath her start to creep up and attempt to take her left ankle; she hopped up and summoned the fire-rockets again, evading the would-be attack, leaving the waterbender on her own. She perked up alertly to see the earth having taken hold of her, grabbing onto her legs below the knee. "Katara!" She barked.

"Don't hurt her!" Aang begged as she cried out 'I can't move', looking to the general and sending a gust of wind to throw him off his footing before a slab of rock rose up to block the attack.

"Katara, no!" Sokka declared as he rode forward on the ostrich-horse, yelping as the ground caught onto one of the ankles of the steed and sent him flying to be caught in the center of one of the upturned discs.

"Sokka!" Mariko jetted down to help him and yelped slightly when a large rock was sent up at her, deftly swerving to the side, looking on the scene in a mixture of anger and helplessness that only fueled her anger.

"You could save her if you were in the Avatar State!" Fong threatened as Aang grabbed onto his wrist.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Aang cried, tears starting to well in his eyes.

Katara yelped as she sank lower into the ground.

"I don't see glowing!" Fong sang lowly.

"Aang, please!" The girl cried as she was now neck-deep into the ground.

"Please, you don't have to do this!" Aang shouted.

Fong closed his hand, "Apparently I do."

Katara gave a strangled yelp as she soon disappeared beneath the ground, Aang's hands narrowly missing her head.

The tension that had arisen in the air was deafening as Aang's tattoos glowed vibrantly and his eyes turned white with the same power, rage screaming in his features.

"It worked!" Fong laughed in spite of himself, bracing against the sharp slap of wind that was sent in his direction.

"**Aang**!" Mariko shouted as she'd landed to help Sokka out of the disc, looking at the scene in surprise; for once she felt fear, fear she thought she had forsaken long ago, fear for her friends, for Aang.

It was true, then: the Avatar State was both beautiful and horrific at the same time… And she felt pity for him because he had to keep that in balance along with everything else.

Aang.

* * *

A/N: _season two officially starts, gents. and a small hint regarding the next chapter..._

_'__**Nah, for all she knew, Mai was far away, safely in the Fire Nation… She had to be.'**_


	9. Shuriken Family Reunions

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Shuriken Family Reunions_**

* * *

How they ever managed to conquer Omashu was beyond her.

She gave the dark smoke that chugged out from the various smokestacks another look before her brow furrowed into a soft frown; given that the esteemed-untouchable stronghold was only second to Ba Sing Se, it still left a bitter taste in her mouth to see that the Earth Kingdom capital truly was the last city left standing.

Going through the front gate would be both suicidal and just-plain-crazy… So they had to get in by some other means.

"You've got to be kidding." Mariko was the first to complain about their secondary option, wrinkling her nose at being met with the large drain that led from the sewage of Omashu.

"It's either this or risk getting caught and probably maimed by the Fire Nation." Sokka pointed out blandly, not too keen on the idea either.

Pulling the hood of her cloak onto her head to cover her wild black hair drawn up into a ponytail, she huffed. "I'm not in the mood to get caught red-handed for being a runaway… Let's just get this over with." She bit out, flicking his ear as she traipsed inside after Aang and Katara, letting him be the last one in and inadvertently to be the one to cover their entrance with the drain grate.

Lifting the manhole cover just a little to be able to peek at the surface world, Aang noticed automatically that the alley they'd came into was vacant of life and that night had already fallen on the city.

Luck was with them.

"That was easier than I thought," Katara commented as she and Mariko shook their cloaks and pants of water.

Low groaning sounded from the sludge-coated Sokka that followed them out of the manhole, briefly spooking the trio, before he was washed of the sludge by some waterbending from Katara and air-dried by a gust of wind from Aang, leaving him standing there with no sludge; he started flailing when he noticed that there were two purple sucker-creatures stuck to his cheeks. "They won't let go!" He cried, trying to pull off the small creatures.

Aang reprimanded and hushed him quickly, "Stop making so much noise. It's just a Purple Penta-Pus." He rolled his eyes when the older boy grimaced at the newly christened bottom-feeders, rubbing the back of the sucker stuck to his left cheek and coaxing it to let go, letting him do the same for the one on his right cheek as he pulled off the one on his neck, leaving him with at least thirty-six or so dots from the suctions.

"Hey! What're you kids doing out past curfew?" A gruff voice barked from the end of the alley, making the quartet freeze before the siblings shuffled close to cover the airbender who covered his head with an orange scarf, all four smiling innocently.

Being the first to speak, Katara lied, "Sorry, we were just on our way home." The quartet turned about to head down the more-vacated end of the alley and leaving the guards in their wake.

"Wait, what's the matter with him?" The talkative guard demanded, making them halt.

Better at lying, Mariko turned slightly to them, "He has Pentapox, sir. It's highly contagious," she added the last three words pointedly as the guard approached them, especially the 'riddled' boy.

At a pointed nudge from his sister, Sokka put on the theatrics, groaning and taking on the deathly-ill pallor of a dead man, groaning, "Ugh, it's so awful I'm dying…!" As he stepped closer to the guard said man backed away warily.

"And deadly!" Katara chirped.

"H-hey, I think I've heard of that; didn't your cousin Chang die of Pentapox?" He asked the masked guard on his right.

He stammered, "I think so; we'd better go wash our hands," at the haggardly coughing zombie-esque Sokka that took one step closer to them, he added as they scrambled away, "and burn our clothes!"

The firebender slapped him lightly on the back as Aang thanked the Penta-pus he had in hand. "Smooth."

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Where would they be keeping him?" Sokka asked quietly.

Mariko looked past the pile of boards they'd hidden behind at the rest of the city and various smokestacks placed here and there, slightly furrowing her brow, glancing at the tall framework surrounding a dark statue of some sort on all sides.

_If I was the one who'd imprisoned a powerful earthbending king, it'd be somewhere he can't bend earth_…

"Somewhere he can't earthbend… somewhere made of metal," Aang was on the same thought-track she was on, looking at the rest of the sprawling city, the smoke dancing slowly into the night air.

The quartet took off into the darkness, starting to cross a four-lane delivery chute when a low thud sounded, a trio of large boulders following the loud noise that were flying down the chute towards a group of six walking below; without much thinking, Aang shattered the boulders with a sharp slap of air, making dust fly from the collision, showing the group below just where they were.

So much for sneaking in and out of Omashu without trouble.

"The resistance!" One of the six, a woman prolly, cried; the four on either side (now that she noticed, both figures in the middle of the group were women) scrambled into action as at least five shuriken were projected at where the quartet were.

Narrowly dodging, the teenagers hurried into the darkness' safety but not without two of the guards catching up to the waterbender; summoning a whip of water, she sent both men flying back with a sharp crack, putting up a tall ice shield when another round of shuriken flew in her direction from the second woman.

A crack of a whip sent the oncoming woman skidding back as the firebender dove in, the fire-whip in hand, amber eyes narrowed beneath the covering of her cloak's hood. She looked at the woman's hazel eyes and felt a wave of recognition roll down her spine as it hit her that this woman wasn't an ordinary knife-thrower.

… _Mai?_

Several shuriken were thrown, one in particular narrowly coming into contact with her right cheek, ripping her from the shock of seeing the familiar face; she ducked in time, relinquishing the whip to a mere fireball she threw at her as she lunged, bolting after her friends at top speed, distinctly hearing her opponent give chase.

Damn, why here? Why Mai? She was her cousin, for God's sake! Why did she have to be here in Omashu of all places…?

A loud crash sounded behind her, making her look to see Aang had used airbending on a nearby towering scaffold, the boards clattering in the way of her pursuer; the girl sent another shuriken jetting at the airbender.

Drawn from the scabbard at her back, Mariko deflected the oncoming sharp object with the side of her katana, lowering it and grabbing his scruff as she hurried away to group with the Water Tribe siblings; the cement flooring beneath them shook and she yelped an oath before they were enveloped in the darkness of an underground chute.

Once her head stopped spinning, she looked at their new surroundings to realize three things.

One; they were surrounded by earthbenders.

Two; somehow or someway, she just had a hunch, these guys were the resistance that woman (her aunt, she had to remember) had accused them of being affiliated with.

Three; Mai was here in Omashu with her aunt and uncle, the former her father's younger sister.

_Things just got infinitely worse._

::::::::dOb::::::::

She wouldn't let those things put spots on her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to help do it to the people they were helping escape Omashu.

Katara had given her a weird look when seeing she pulled her cloak hood over her head again, making a note to ask about it later once everyone was safely out of the city.

Night had fallen and they –that is to say Mariko, Sokka and Katara plus Appa and Momo—waited for Aang to return hidden between two jagged hills along with the residents of Omashu.

The trio perked up when Aang came forth from the darkness alongside a tall rabbit-eared gorilla, abandoning the campfire to step closer to him and what appeared to be King Bumi's pet.

"We looked everywhere; no Bumi." Aang informed, crestfallen, letting Katara hug him as Sokka did the same for the large animal.

"We've got a problem, we just did a headcount." Yung, the earthbender who had been the king's defense advisor, informed the group as he came to stand next to the firebender, garnering the quartet's attention.

"Did someone get left behind?" Mariko wondered.

He shook his head, "No… we have an extra." He gestured behind them to a toddler clinging to a struggling and complaining Momo.

After getting comfortable around the campfire the quartet began brainstorming how to best deal with this dilemma.

"No, bad Fire Nation baby!" Sokka snatched his club from the toddler's small hands sharply, making him blink once before starting to cry and wail.

Mariko rolled her eyes as Katara hit him across the chin lightly, taking the club from his hand and giving it to the toddler, pulling him into her lap and watching him play with the shiny blue orb on the top of the club.

"How… Since when are you good with kids?" Katara asked in slight surprise, she and the boys giving the firebender odd looks.

"I have a soft spot for babies, sue me. Besides, it beats having Sokka babysit the squirt." Mariko answered in an absent-minded tone, ignoring the scowl from said boy, smiling down at the toddler and tousling his black hair affectionately. _This must be Mai's little brother, then; he looks a lot like her,_ she thought.

"That much is true; he's so cute, too," Katara chuckled, cooing to the occupied toddler in her lap.

Yung deadpanned, "Sure he's cute now, but when he's older, he'll join the Fire Nation Army. You won't think he's so cute, then; he'll be a killer." He pointed out.

"Does that look like the face of a killer to you?" Katara countered, taking the toddler from her friend and lifting him up for emphasis, once again receiving a deadpan stare from the earthbender.

A caw sounded then before the sight of a messenger hawk came into view and the bird dropped to perch on a rock nearby. With some coaxing, Aang took the message secured on its back and unraveled the paper to read it aloud before the campfire.

"It's from the Fire Nation Governor; he thinks we kidnapped his son. So he wants to make a trade… his son for King Bumi!" Aang declared, gray eyes going wide in response to what the message said.

* * *

Once again she wore the hood on her head, and once again she earned a curious look from the waterbender.

Katara made to open her mouth and ask –if only to keep the tension at bay—but closed it, contemplating asking her about it at an easier time… she only hoped it would be once they were gone from Omashu.

Mariko looked up past Sokka at the statue that was under construction and felt like someone had punched her in the gut, cutting her gaze away as the muscles in her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed under the shade of her hood.

A statue of Fire Lord Ozai was to be placed as a sure-enough sign that Omashu had fallen, and it sickened her.

It was only a few moments later before the trio who had come in place of the Fire Nation Governor appeared on the opposite side of the scaffolding, all three faces that she recognized and had known since she was a child… How could she forget, after all? They were old 'friends'.

The girl from the other night had indeed been her cousin Mai, as much as she had vainly hoped it wasn't, with the pink-clad circus girl Ty Lee on her right side, and the cold princess Azula on her left.

_Tui and La she was screwed._

A snorting chortle sounded from above, making the quartet look to see a sarcophagus-caged King Bumi being lowered on the side of the scaffolding, voicing a cheery greeting to Aang.

"You brought my brother?" Mai asked blandly, hazel eyes on the toddler held in Sokka's arms.

Aang nodded, calling back, "He's here; we're ready to trade."

Mariko bit down on her lower lip, a habit she had learned when she was younger, knowing this wasn't going to end well; not with Azula here… nothing good would come of having her leading this mission.

"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me… Do you mind?" Azula spoke up clearly, the question meant for the governor's daughter even though the first part of her sentence was to be heard by the quartet on the opposite side of the scaffolding.

"Of course not, Princess Azula." The knife-thrower complied calmly.

"We're trading a two-year-old for a king; a powerful earthbending king. It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?" The princess pondered, her tone mildly condescending towards the end of her sentence.

Aang wasn't going to be happy about this.

Taking a brief tension-filled moment to ponder on the question, her cousin finally conceded, stepping forward. "You're right; the deal's off." With a gesture from her, the king was lifted back up by the chain holding onto his cage, not without Aang rushing forward to stop his prison from pulling him away from sight, narrowly missing a jet of azure flames from the princess.

Mariko's blood ran cold when the makeshift wrap on his head fluttered in the wind he'd propelled himself with, showcasing his pale blue arrow tattoos prominently. "Damn…" She reached for the daggers secured in the undersides of her crimson wristguards.

"The Avatar… my lucky day." Azula smirked coldly, giving chase to the airbender and leaving the trio to face the two girls.

"We've gotta get the baby out of here," Katara declared as they ran in the opposite direction as Sokka was blowing on the bison-whistle.

Sokka smiled, "Way ahead of you!"

"Katara, take the girl in pink," Mariko ordered, seeing her blue eyes sharpen at her grim tone; her amber eyes tightened. "The knife-thrower's my problem." _Moreso_ _a family reunion_, she inwardly added, watching the girl run off, noting the knife-thrower skid to a halt at seeing her stop running to face her.

Mai regarded the hooded girl with mild interest, a few shuriken on hand, noting sunlight winked off the sharp edges of the girl's two daggers she drew. "This is a surprise, you're not running like a baby." She said coolly in that scratchy voice her cousin knew her by.

"You're more talkative than you used to be; guess time matures you after all." Mariko drawled calmly, charging forward at a sprint, right foot making to connect with her torso before her opponent swerved to the side and threw a shuriken at her head. She hopped out of the way and countered with her dagger, the blade sailing past her left arm and nicking the cloth of her maroon sleeve, briefly earning a glance from her cousin.

Taking the miniscule opening, she lunged and sucker-punched her in the nose, sending her skidding back.

Digging her heels into the scaffolding, Mai glared venomously at the offender, noticing she was rubbing her left fist gingerly from the punch, and she caught onto something; before she'd begun her proper firebending training, her cousin had liked sparring with her when they were younger, and she would always be predominantly left-handed… Just like… "Well I'll be damned; I'd heard the rumors, I just didn't think they were so true. It's been a long time, Mariko."

She briefly froze before quieting, huffing softly. "It has, hasn't it?" Running her thumb along the second dagger's blade, she lunged again, ducking a shuriken that made to cut her cheek, right hand flying to slap the third throwing star from her hand, growling an oath when she lashed out with her free hand and smacked her in the cheek, her manicured nails scratching the skin of her upper right cheekbone, forcing her back.

She sent another array of throwing stars at her cousin, forcing her to draw back again and again until she had a sinking feeling she'd backed her into a proverbial corner, and with a glance over her shoulder at the steep drop from the scaffolding to the delivery chutes, she was right.

Crap.

"Three years away from home have made you weak, cousin." Mai huffed, hazel eyes steely, a cocky light in her face, a switchblade in hand.

Mariko slid her eyes closed and inhaled, faking her out by letting herself fall over the edge.

Balking, she moved to see where she'd fallen before a sharp kick to the chin sent her sprawling.

She hovered higher into the air by her fire-rockets, hearing a low groan sound from the other side of the scaffolding, signaling her ride was there. With a final look at her cousin she'd conked out, she exhaled and dropped to rush to her ride and leap onto the saddle just as Katara was scrambling on.

"Is the baby okay?" Mariko asked, blinking when seeing Momo trying to dodge a few clumsy grabs from said toddler; her shoulders slumped and she smiled in relief.

"Mari, your cheek's bleeding." Sokka declared with another glance at the firebender cradling the toddler.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, compliments of Mai." She replied, tucking the dagger back into her right wrist guard. "Sorry I kinda forced you to fight Ty Lee; she doesn't look it, but she packs a punch." She looked to his sister with an apologetic look, eyeing her left arm she was rubbing gingerly.

Katara blinked once before looking at her with mild surprise and curiosity, "You know those girls?" She asked.

Mariko nodded, a sad light flickering in her amber eyes. "I'll explain when we get Aang and give the baby back." She promised.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"You grew up with them?" Aang was the first to ask once she'd told her friends of her ties to the trio they'd faced earlier.

Mariko rubbed her left arm gingerly, "It's not like I enjoyed it much. Azula was the princess, so naturally I had to get along with her for my parents' sake, Ty Lee was okay when she wasn't being a total ditz, and Mai… well, she's my cousin, so of course we were required to get along 'swimmingly'. So said my mother." She smiled a little even though it didn't reach her eyes, looking at the milky face of the moon.

"That's why you knew Zuko so well, because you grew up with his sister and her friends." Katara surmised, slightly bitter about the prince.

Aang and Mariko glanced at one another for one miniscule second before the latter nodded, exhaling. "Yeah; between them and him, he was the better friend." He was the only friend I had.

"That explains why I didn't trust you so well when we met, then." Sokka mused from steering the bison onward past the mountain ranges.

Mariko rolled her eyes, crossing her arms behind her head as she relaxed in the saddle. "Or it's because you were half an asshat when we met." She joked.

"Bite me." Sokka groused, looking away with a 'humph'.

Katara smiled wryly at her brother; Aang chuckled, glancing at the placid smile on Mariko's lips and looking away.

Zuko had been her childhood best friend even though they were betrothed to each other… He couldn't help but wonder if the prince felt as much for his old friend as she did him.

Did he?

* * *

A/N: y_o, sorry for the prolonged update. my comp's OS was updated and i lost the original file for this fic so i had to start fresh and, even tho i already covered the first book, i had already covered a few eps of the second book on the old file.. anyway, here's the ninth chap, hope you lot enjoyed. _

_also, shoutout to my doting readers who've been reviewing, thanks a mil for the feedback, you have no idea how good it makes me feel to know people love what i write. honest. (: and another shoutout to __**thehomiewhowrites**__ for the favorite on this story. srsly, your review made my day. thanks again! ^^_

_a little preview into next chapter:  
'__**Although blind, this girl packed a punch... She had a feeling they would get along just swimmingly**__.'_


	10. Bandits, Princesses, Vagabonds

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Bandits, Princesses, Vagabonds**_

* * *

The loudness consuming the air of the underground wrestling arena started to hurt her ears. She had a vague feeling that their seating –which was in a large open area of stone benches—place wasn't so great of a view as the airbender had suggested, now that she thought on it.

So when all four teenagers barely avoided getting hit with a stray flying boulder, the instinctive thing she did was cuff him on the head (albeit gently). "Good eye." She mused sarcastically, sitting back in her seat and slouching.

The cheers got louder as an earthbender with long hair leveled the ring's rocky floor with a few flourishing gestures, standing before the audience with a serious look on his firm face. _Sure looks mean_, she mused boredly, drawing one of her daggers from her wrist guard (she'd replenished her on-hand stock a day after they'd left Omashu) to study her reflection in the same bored manner. _Not the teacher he was looking for; too serious, too hard_.

"Welcome to Earth Rumble VI; I am your host, Xin Fu!" The earthbender crowed.

Katara shared her sentiment, examining her nails with a slight sigh, "This's just gonna be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?" She asked of her companions at large.

"That's what I paid for," Sokka hummed with a giddy grin plastered to his face.

Mariko rolled her eyes, tossing the dagger up and down, listening aimlessly as the first two combatants were brought out; The Boulder vs The Big Bad Hippo. _Couldn't come up with better names… though maybe a few rock-chucking sessions knocked out their sense of imagination. _The match was over in a few minutes it seemed, with the Hippo being toppled effortlessly by a rectangular slab of rock to his broad flabby back from the Boulder after the latter had been half-way knocked off the ring and used the underhanded gesture to make his comeback and come out victorious.

"How about The Boulder? He's got some good moves." Katara suggested to the airbender between both girls.

Aang shrugged, an uneasy look settling on his face, "Dunno, Bumi said I need a teacher that listens to the earth. He's just listening to his big muscles; what do you think, Sokka?" He looked at the older boy only to deadpan as said boy was busy cheering with the rest of the audience at the Boulder's feat. He looked at the firebender, "What do you think, then, Mari?"

"Too pig-headed and full of ostrich-horse crap to even consider another career than wrestling. Besides, I hate his voice." Mariko answered flatly, amber eyes calculating the muscled earthbender with a listless glance. Her ears perked when the second competitor stepped into the ring waving a crimson Fire Nation flag in one hand and gesturing with the other as he sang the Fire National Anthem… _Poorly_. She slapped her forehead and drooped her head into her palm. "Tui and La."

Again he was knocked out of the ring with ease. A high-rise body slam knees-first from The Boulder delivered the sympathizer straight into the stands a few yards away from where the quartet sat.

Another few more rounds, another few KOs, compliments of the victor (unsurprisingly), The Boulder... That is, until a new face stepped into the ring that she didn't expect and probably never would've; okay so 'stepped' wasn't the right word so much as 'lifted'. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for… _The_ _Boulder_ _vs_ _The Blind Bandit!_"

A petite black-haired girl clad in Earth Kingdom green stood there on the challenger's side of the ring; her posture shifted straight so she sat forward, interest completely piqued, amber eyes focusing on the girl challenger, distantly hearing the waterbender on her far left question the boy if she was really blind. "Interesting." The firebender murmured, listlessly raising a hand to poke at the small rough rise in skin on her slightly-chapped lower lip with her index finger's nail.

"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a blind earthbending girl." The Boulder's egotistic voice cut through her musings as he crossed his arms and stared at his opponent dubiously.

The Blind Bandit jeered with a cocky grin, "Sounds to me like you're _scared_, Boulder!"

"…The Boulder is over with his conflicted feelings and is ready to bury you _in a rock-alanche!_" The Boulder exclaimed annoyedly, flexing his muscles in further intimidation.

Intimidation didn't bode well against this girl; "Whenever you're ready, **The Pebble**!" Bandit cackled tauntingly.

The Boulder hadn't even thrown a rock because when his right heel touched the floor of the ring, the Blind Bandit was on it in less than seconds, stance shifting, left foot sliding forward and right foot sliding back, letting him make the charge by another step before she hit home.

A pained groan that sounded more like a shrill squeak came from the mighty Boulder as the Blind Bandit kicked the floor with the heel of her right foot and sent a small sharp rift of earth to break his footing and render him into a pained splits that had both Aang and Sokka elicit a wince at. Topping off her already-cowed opponent's demise, the girl's opened right hand jerked forward, making three peaks of rock rise up and throw The Boulder off the ring with ease, a flat 'thud' sounding when he hit the side wall face-first.

"Your winner and still the Champion, the Blind Bandit!" Xin Fu cried as the ring's stands erupted with applause. Mariko found herself grinning at seeing the triumphant face of the girl before she raised her arm in victory.

Sokka wailed next to her at his hero's loss but she heard Katara ask in awe and disbelief, "How did she do that?"

"She waited… and listened!" Aang answered quietly, smiling.

Xin Fu hopped onto the tall pedestal and then dropped to land next to the victor and said next, "To make things a little interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat The Blind Bandit!" At hearing dead silence greet his offer, he added tauntingly, "What? Noone dares to face her…?"

"I will!"

Before she had even registered he had left his seat between her and Katara, Aang was already stepping onto the ring from the side-stairwell; Mariko's grin fell infinitesimally at seeing her friend willing to get his ass kicked, fighting the urge to slap her forehead. "Straightforward; he's already acting like an earthbender…"

"Do people really wanna see **two** little girls fighting over here?" The Blind Bandit asked loudly if only to elicit a round of 'oohs' from the audience.

But Aang was determined to get her to talk with him, despite the impending brawl expected, "I don't really wanna fight you; I wanna talk to you." He pointed out, lifting his hands in defense.

"_Booooo no talking!_" Sokka crowed before both Katara and Mariko whacked him reproachfully as his sister snapped, "Don't 'boo' at him!"

The Blind Bandit initiated the brawl and shrugged her foot back so a small pillar of rock rose up to break his foothold, but Aang was too light-footed, hopping off to float over the floor behind her several yards away, lightly dropping onto the floor so she twisted around to glare at him when he landed. "Someone's a little light on his feet! What's your fighting name, The Fancy Dancer?" She spat, sending another pillar to force him on the defense again (if you could consider his prancing around as actual defense), seeming to grow irate with his fleet-footed dodges.

As she summoned a boulder and sent it flying in his direction, the airbender countered with an instinctive blast of wind that knocked both the projectile and the earthbender clean off the ring, shocking the audience. It only lasted a second until the applause ripped through the air, but Aang was hot on the girl's heels as she gathered herself and stormed off into the lower ring of the arena. "Please listen, I need an earthbending teacher and I think it's supposed to be you!" He cried.

"Whoever you are, just… leave me alone." The Blind Bandit snapped with a bit of venom at her loss, stomping a foot onto the ground and opening a doorway she slipped into, letting the wall close shut behind her wake.

Mariko patted his shoulder gently when he joined them on the ring as Sokka laughed happily and bounced up to snag the bag of gold from Xin Fu, looking to where the girl had left.

There was no denying it now… _She was the one_.

* * *

Sneaking in to the Beifong grounds, sure, no problem… Getting across the wall undetected… Well, that was a different story.

A collective yelp came from all four teenagers as they were thrown to land unceremoniously in the garden's shrubbery, both girls in one bush, one boy in the adjoining bush, and the second boy on the grassy ground face-first.

Looking up blearily, Aang was met with the pissy scowl of the esteemed Blind Bandit with her fists on her hips, donning an expensive dress with her hair kept out of her scowling face. "What're you _doing_ here, Twinkle-Toes?" Yep, that was her.

"How'd you know it was me?" Aang asked curiously even as Sokka whined from his face-plant, "Don't answer to '_Twinkle-Toes'_, it's not manly!"

Katara and Mariko sweatdropped simultaneously before getting out of the bush they'd both landed in. "_You're_ the one whose bag matches his belt," Katara picked.

"How'd you find me?" The Beifong girl demanded again.

Aang hopped out of his bush with ease, starting to explain to her about what King Bumi had told him and his vision in the swamp, but Mariko could tell he was losing her interest within a few seconds, so she patted his shoulder again to quiet him.

"In a nutshell, Aang's the Avatar and he needs to learn and master earthbending soon, at least before he can defeat the Fire Lord." Mariko elaborated calmly, blinking when the Beifong girl lifted a hand up in her face.

"_Not_ my problem… Now get out of here, or I'll call the guards." The younger girl threatened, though the last few words sounded hollow, shuffling past them.

"Look, we all have to do our part to win this war. And yours is to teach Aang earthbending." Sokka stated, cutting in before Mariko had a chance to try and sway her reasoning, earning a forehead-slap from said girl.

One thing being raised in a noble house taught her was that when in the company of pesky solicitors (like now), adult aid was a good mechanism to make the annoyances go away.

"Guards! Guards, help!" The girl cried in a panicked voice, signaling their flee back over the low wall.

It didn't take long for the siblings to scramble over the wall, and the firebender was no different, but she hesitated to drop down on the safer side when Aang hung onto the wall's shingles for a moment.  
The boy dropped down at last to greet his friends with a strange smile on his young face.

"Aang, what is it?" Katara asked confusedly.

Mariko lifted a brow, and at beginning to see the gears beginning to work in his brain, she caught on; she shook her head with a soft and low chuckle. "That is the lowest trick you've ever concocted, young airbender… But in this case, it's brilliant." She smirked at him.

"Would one of you two evil geniuses please tell me what's going on?" Sokka cut in, looking from the firebender to the airbender with a confused scowl on his brow.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Toph being scared of being ambushed and held for ransom was something she couldn't bring herself to believe… at least not without an unladylike snort to disagree with the elder Beifong's words.

"Here's your money!" Sokka declared to Xin Fu as the earthbending instructor Master Yu gestured the bag of gold slide forward towards the ringman. "Now let them go."

Taking the bag from the floor, he opened it to examine the amount placed inside before looking up and nodding once, signaling that Toph's prison-sarcophagus be dropped down so the girl could be released.

She landed in a light heap before moving away to the safety of her father's side, leaving Aang still in his prison.

"What about Aang?" Katara demanded.

"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," Xin Fu answered with a Fire Nation wanted poster he pulled out, lowering it, "Now, get out of my ring." He growled with steely eyes.

Katara lowered a hand to her water pouch as Mariko drew her daggers from her wrist guards and Sokka made to pull his club out, before the trio watched five more earthbenders drop in onto the ring to conglomerate around Xin Fu and the Boulder, acting as an intimidating entourage.  
They were just making things that much more of a pain in the ass.

"Go," Aang said from his prison, earning their attention again, "I'll be okay."

"In the hands of the Fire Nation? Right." Mariko grumbled, putting her daggers back as she led the way off the ring, continuing at top speed to the tunnel exit where Toph, her father, and Master Yu had gone with the siblings at her heels, skidding to a halt at the mouth. "Toph! There's too many for us to handle; we need an earthbender… We need **you**!" She called.

The senior Beifong turned to glare angrily at the firebender, "My daughter is blind!" He stated sharply, "She is blind and tiny and helpless and fragile… She cannot help you." He didn't notice his daughter tensing with each stinging reminder of her blatant disability, until a determined fire sparked to life in her young face.

Toph yanked her hand sharply out of his grasp, baffling the older Beifong, "Yes. I can." She turned to walk stiffly back to the ring, shrugging past Mariko.

Fighting a smile of pride, the older girl followed her lead.

The band of seven were just leaving the ring with a caged Aang in tow on the Hippo's shoulders when a column of rock rose up to block their exit, halting them in their tracks. "Let him go! I beat you all before, and I'll do it again!" Toph vowed brazenly.

"The Boulder takes issue with that comment!" The Boulder snapped back, pointing a finger at the girl, and Mariko had to bite back the urge to sock his nose for his damned speech pattern.

The Hippo tossed aside Aang's cage like it weighed nothing; the trio made to step forward and aid the earthbender when she bit out to stop them, "Wait; they're _mine_." The seven rushed forward in a stampede, and were blindsided when the lone earthbender raised her arms, trembling slightly with effort, before she jerked her arms down into herself and caused the ground beneath the seven's footing to crack and break, making a large dust cloud fly up and veil them from sight.

Toph calmly walked into the dust cloud, signaling their not-needed aid before the trio set to work on Aang's cage.

Mariko watched her send the Fire Nation wrestler flying out of the ring as Katara was pulling with all her might on the bottom locks and Sokka was banging on the front locks with a rock; she cringed at the noise and groaned, breaking concentration to help. "Move it," she ordered, summoning a spout of fire and hopping onto the cage in a crouch.

"Um, Mariko, what're you doing…?" Katara asked behind her.

"Just keep trying on the bottom latch, I've got the front." Mariko answered absently, igniting the lock with the small fireball and allowing the flames to melt the lock and weaken it, gesturing for Sokka's rock with her free hand and once she got it, she grunted and slammed it down onto the weakened lock, shattering it easily.

Aang floated out of the broken cage with ease and made to join Toph in her battle but was reprimanded by a gentle tug on his collar from the firebender and she gestured he just watch.

Both the Boulder and Hippo staggered out of the haze to face the blind girl as she stepped out calmly with her arms half-raised in an open gesture, her opponents sporting goading expressions (to which she didn't take note of (obviously)), and a third wrestler swinging on a vine down at her with a battle cry; the firebender bit her lower lip absently at the odds, perking up as the younger girl made the large disk she stood on rotate with a flourish of her hands so the trio collided with each other and fell in a groaning heap onto the floor; with another sharp flourishing of her hands, Toph effectively cowed the remaining trio of the seven earthbenders and sent them flying off the ring.

Clearing the arena, it was now just Toph and Xin Fu; even though she had high confidence in this girl, she couldn't help but feel concern regarding who her opponent was, watching both benders circle each other stiffly like wolf-bats.

Mariko glanced over at the senior Beifong to see he cringed when his daughter spat to the side to further indicate she wasn't a dainty panda-lily.

_Even though she was blind, she packed a punch_… She slowly grinned. _Oh yeah, they'd get along just fine_.

Xin Fu stood against the girl, both regarding each other coldly, before springing into action. His body swerved, balancing on one leg and rotating between the two as he projected at least six rocks of various size at the girl.

All bounced off and to the side as Toph formed a diamond-shield of rock to block the projectiles, sending the right triangle towards her opponent who twisted out of the way; just as he jammed his left hand into the earth to steady himself, she reacted instantly, narrowly sidestepping a thrown rock that would've hit her face cleanly had she not stepped to the side, before countering and sharply thrusting her right arm in his direction, a rock pillar jetting out to smack him hard in the front and send him flying off the ring to crash into the stands where Master Yu and the older Beifong sat.

Sokka nearly fainted at her mastery in action as Aang, Katara and Mariko rushed forward to congratulate her.  
"That was so amazing!" Katara crowed.

"You're the best earthbender ever!" Aang agreed excitedly.

Toph grinned triumphantly, riding on the victorious high, "Thanks."

"Now that was awesome, coming from a badass like you." Mariko grinned.

"Damn straight, and don't forget it." Toph quipped, the grin still in place.

* * *

Mariko looked up at the moon's milky face and exhaled, securing the drawstrings on her bag and slinging it over her shoulder, climbing onto the bison's saddle with the siblings.

Aang looked to the clearing despondently, the reins in hand; he began to steer the bison into the air if it weren't for the faint sound of panting coming from the edge of the clearing.

The trio in the saddle perked up alertly to see the green-clad Toph jogging towards their steed. "Toph!" The driver exclaimed in shock and relief, "What're you doing here?"

"My dad changed his mind; he said I was free to travel the world," she answered brightly.

Mariko didn't need to use earthbending to tell she was lying; but even so, she ran away because of the same lie she herself had said over and over before she met the Avatar when she had left home.

_Adventure awaited._

The siblings exchanged looks before Sokka suggested, "Well we'd better get outta here, before your dad changes his mind again."

"Good idea," Toph nodded.

"You're gonna be a great teacher, Toph." Aang said, giddy and elated and anxious to leave all at once.

"Speaking of which, I wanna show you something." His new teacher said sweetly, earning a look from both girls present, before her pupil hopped down from the driver's seat; kicking the ground with a heel, Toph sent Aang flying into the air by use of a tall pillar only to land unceremoniously in a tree branch upside-down, his legs hooked around the lower branch. "Oh, and I'll take the belt back." She gestured for the belt.

Sokka made a face and unclipped the belt from his waist, tossing it down at her; "Sokka, wait!" Mariko barked before wincing when the belt hit the girl on the head with a light 'thud', knocking her down.

"Ow!"

"…Sorry."

Katara cuffed her brother sharply as Mariko shook her head and hopped down from the saddle to help her up as Aang fell with an 'oof'.

"Next time, just ask." Mariko advised patiently as she helped her stand, letting her dust off her clothes.

Toph puffed out annoyedly, scowling, "I didn't need help."

"Just trying to be nice, considering the meathead chucked the damn belt at you." She nudged her gently, trodding to the bison's tail to climb back on.

"Why? It's not because I'm blind, is it?" She sniffed, climbing onto the bison's saddle shortly after the older girl, plonking down with her.

She made a face as they took off into the night. "No, because any sort of sympathy regarding that flew out the window when I saw you kicking ass yesterday and then today. Besides, I don't like pity so it wouldn't seem fair to be hypocritical to someone who's like me." She answered calmly, brushing some of her fringe from her face idly.

She quieted momentarily before settling into the saddle rim, cocking a brow, a disgruntled look beginning to settle on her pale face. "How do you figure that one, 'someone who's like me'?" She quoted mockingly.

Mariko regarded her disgruntled posture and smiled in spite of, folding her arms at her chest. "Because I ran away from a strict house too, around your age." She answered simply, her voice soft.

"Seriously? Then how old are you?" Toph asked, her disgruntled look faltering just a smidge to make way for mild confusion and plenty interest.

"Sixteen."

"You sure don't _act_ like you were raised in nobility."

She chuckled, looking up at the stars dotting the velvet sky above. "My father's an admiral and absentee parent, and my mother is a controlling perfectionist who wanted to live her hopes and dreams through me. You can imagine the results of living with that for thirteen years." From out of the corner of her eye, she saw the disgruntled look melting from her face as she listened to her elaborated and edited depiction of her home-life.

"Ouch. No friends either, huh?"

"Just one, but he's gone away… and I've been looking for him."

"So that's why you left."

"More or less."

Toph, being one who loathed pity with every fiber in her being, merely nodded her head down once. "Surprised you stuck it out for that long; I woulda left earlier than thirteen."

"My friend didn't leave until he was thirteen for personal reasons, and I was worried about him, so I followed his example." Mariko answered, her voice slightly subdued as she recalled the lonely days that turned into lonely months during her first two years away from home, the weeks she would spend gathering intel on any signs or sightings of the prince, the solace she had now forsaken.

No.

She would find him, and she would explain everything about why she had abandoned him at the North Pole mere months ago. She would see him again… She had to.

* * *

A/N: _whew, long chapter! thanks again to __**thehomiewhowrites**__ for another lovely review and to the rest of you who've been silent, seriously, let yourself be heard, people! c'mon, it's not gonna kill ya. the __**review**__ box is riiight down there on the bottom of the page, it's not gonna hurt you or try to suck your soul out or anything harmful.. it won't hurt, honest. (:_

_oh and in other fanfiction news, i'm writing up a continuation fic for "Hana no Satsugai", my Hakuouki story revolving around the Reimeiroku eps i covered a year or so back. the first ep hasn't been completed yet, but so far i like how it's coming out. _

_and another note regarding this fic, i've already started working on Book 3 and so far... it's __**AWESOME**__. fluff, mild drama, and just the pure angsty-fluffy concoction that __**is**__ MariZu. i'm just dying to get to the Ba Sing Se eps so i'm going to try and complete the next few chaps regarding the events leading up to Ba Sing Se as fast as i can. _

_anywho, ja ne!_


	11. Friends, Romans and Sleep Deprivation

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Friends, Romans... Naggers**_

* * *

Katara deadpanned at seeing both boys sporting a tall wig (courtesy of Sokka) and a wide beard (courtesy of Aang) made of the white fur shed by Appa; she rolled her eyes. "I'm just glad we finally have another girl in the group, because _you two_ are disgusting." She said pointedly.

"Excuse me, does anyone have a razor? Because I've got some _hairy_ pits!" Toph lamented as she folded her arms behind her head, exhibiting an excessive amount of fur tucked into her armpits, making the boys bust out laughing.

Aang sneezed on the fur and the force of his sneeze sent him to hit one of Appa's legs before flopping face-forward in the pooled fur on the ground, making them laugh harder.

Mariko giggled from her perch on the saddle, landing nimbly next to Katara as she also snickered at the scene. "Mind repealing that 'having another girl in the group' bit?" She elbowed her gently, chuckling.

It was a few hours or so later that they were setting up camp and getting comfortable when the waterbender noted the earthbender had kept to herself throughout dinner; she exhaled, going to take the high road and apologize for the sake of peace.

The firebender sidestepped when the airbender knocked the bison's saddle off his back with a touch of airbending, snickering when the saddle landed unceremoniously ontop of Sokka. She perked an ear at hearing the murmur of conversation from where Katara had walked off, tilting her head in that direction to see she was talking with Toph; the light expression faltered at seeing this.

_God please don't tell me she's trying to sympathize with her_…

"…Yeah, you _do_ seem tired."

"I meant **all** of us."

"Well, g'night."

"…Night."

"From one sympathizer to another, a little advice. Let her come around on her own time, yeah?" Mariko pointed out quietly as she helped her unload the sleeping bags, pulling her bag off the saddle.

Katara scowled slightly in the direction of the dozing earthbender, looking at her. "But she needs to get used to how we run things; I'm only trying to nudge her towards maybe not being so stonewall towards helping out." She explained, meeting her gaze.

She glanced over at the earth-tent before letting her shoulders slump as she gave the younger girl a knowing look. "Kat, trust me, just let her come forward on her own. If you keep nudging, it's not gonna be pretty." She stated, shuffling inside the tent with her and placing her katana next to her sleeping bag.

"Fine…" She muttered, not entirely defeated, settling down next to her, turning on her side as the older girl stretched her arms and yawned. "You sure do seem to know a lot about how Toph will react to… order." She noted aloud once choosing the correct word regarding the earthbender.

She settled onto her back, arms folding behind her head. "That's because I was the same when I was twelve. Stubborn stonewall spitfire with a killer sucker-punch… at least that's how Zuko would put it." She smiled thoughtfully at the memory.

"Mari, I get the feeling that you weren't being entirely honest about Zuko… He was more than a friend, wasn't he? When you lived in the Fire Nation?" The waterbender prodded, lifting a brow, seeing her thoughtful expression drop with each word she spoke.

The firebender furrowed her brow slightly, amber eyes sliding closed. "That's a different campfire story for another night." She said dismissively.

"He was your boyfriend or something, wasn't he?" She pressed.

"Katara, unless you want _two_ tiger-dillos maiming you for being bull-headed, drop it and go to sleep." She growled quietly, turning on her side so her back faced the waterbender and she closed her eyes tighter, snuggling into her sleeping bag.

She frowned at not getting anywhere with both girls, exhaling and turning on her side so her back was to her, closing her eyes. "Night."

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Actually, can you help us unload?" _Tui and La, here we go again_.

"Really? You need _me_ to help unload Sokka's funky-smelling sleeping bag?" At the disgusted expression on said boy's face, she knew that alone confirmed volumes regarding his… body odor.

She scowled slightly, stepping forward, "Well yeah, that and everything else. You're part of our team, now, and…"

"Look! I didn't ask you to help me carry my own stuff; I'm carrying my own weight." She cut her off sharply, storming away.

And would she let it drop?

"That's not the point!" _Of course not_. "Ever since you've joined us, you've been nothing but selfish and unhelpful!"

_Bad approach, very bad approach_… "What! Look here, **_Sugar Queen_**, I gave up _everything_ I had so I could teach Aang earthbending, so don't you talk to **_me_** about being selfish!" Plonking down she quickly formed another earth-tent.

"_S-Sugar Queen!?_" The tent's door rose up swiftly, further irritating the already-catty waterbender. "_Did you just slam the door __**IN MY FACE**__!?_"

Mariko and Aang sweatdropped; the latter looked at the former, "Um, aren't you gonna try and, y'know, placate the… situation?" He asked, distantly hearing Katara yowling out insults and ranting as she pounded fists against the earth-tent, sweatdropping again. The former snorted, plopping down against the bison's legs, "Pssh, I was born at night, just not _last_ night. Besides, I already warned her about this; best to let her stew."

After Aang tried to get a word in –to which Katara had screeched, "**_I'M COMPLETELY CALM_**_!_", therein spooking the poor boy into retreating with his tail between his legs (proverbially)—the trio kicked using a tent to lay under the stars and get back to sleep.

Irony rarely took human form but in this instance, it did… in the form of Katara.

Katara picked with a tinge of bitterness in her catty voice, "The stars sure are beautiful tonight; too bad you can't _see them, Toph!_"

"Tui and La, _come on!_ That was a low blow…" Mariko groaned, covering her head with her arm as she turned so her back faced Aang (she was sleeping between him and Appa).

A loud '_thud'_ sounded as Toph had "lifted" Katara's sleeping bag (with her in it) into the air so she landed smack-dab onto her brother, a combined yelp of pain coming from the siblings.

"Hey, how's a guy supposed to _sleep_ with all this yelling, _and earthquaking!?_" Sokka cried exasperatedly, glaring between his sister and the earth-tent.

"That thing is back!" Toph alerted them, lowering the door to the tent.

Mariko blinked back the rising sand and stood to look at the treetops, distantly hearing the older boy grumbling about getting back to sleep. "She's right; up, now, all of you." She amended grimly, helping Aang to his feet and grabbing her bag and katana from the ground, hearing Sokka groaning in unrequited sleep. "Sokka, **GET UP**!" She commanded, making him jump.

Once they were airborne again with Mariko at the reins (she'd decided to let Aang take a break from driving, seeing as he was a fellow pacifist in this situation), she heard Katara ask, "Mari, what do you think it is?"

She narrowed her eyes, steering the sleepy bison past a mountain ridge, glancing back at the billowing smoke coughing into the night air as it slowly became faint the farther they put distance between it and Appa. "Dunno, but if I had to guess, Fire Nation. Whether it's Azula or someone else, though, I can't say for sure." She answered.

Knowing the machinery that was hacking out that much smoke, there was no doubt that it was her.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Spooked birds flew up into the air from the loud crash the bison had made with the treetops, letting the five teens flop off the slumbering beast with the two siblings in the lead, their sleeping bags in tow.

"Okay, we've put enough distance between us and them; the plan now is to follow Appa's lead and get some sleep." The elder sibling rationalized tiredly.

His sister agreed, adding stingingly, "Of course we could've gotten some sleep earlier if Toph didn't have such issues."

"**_WHAT_**_!?_" Said girl screeched, jolting to her feet in outrage, not minding the older girl that groaned wearily from getting their bags off the bison's saddle.

"All right, all right! Everyone's exhausted; let's just get some rest…" The pacifist boy stepped into the oncoming argument, his tone indicating his patience was chipping away bit by bit.

"No, I wanna hear what _Katara_ has to say! You think I have **_issues_**_?_" Toph cut him off, planting a fist on her hip and glowering in said girl's direction.

Katara was only (probably) seconds away from getting her ass kicked, "I'm just saying, maybe if you helped out earlier, we coulda set up our camp faster and gotten some sleep… And then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!" She snapped the last sentence.

"For God's sake, **ENOUGH**! If you keep nagging about the damn chores I swear that **I'm** the one who's going to kick your ass, _Katara!_" Mariko broke in heatedly, glowering at the waterbender she had briefly surprised by her outburst, amber eyes burning.

"_Stay out of this, Mariko!_" Katara snarled.

"No, Sword Girl's right! You're blaming **me** for this!?" Toph joined in hotly, storming closer to her, to which the waterbender dropped her sleeping bag to gesture she come closer.

Aang groaned and stepped forward, "No, no, she doesn't blame you!"

"Oh I'm blaming her!" Katara fired hotly.

Toph tossed him aside as if he weighed nothing, "Hey, I never asked you for diddly-doo-da; _I carry my own weight!_ Besides, if there's anyone to blame it's _Sheddy_ over here; you wanna know how they keep_ finding us?_" At ignoring the outburst from the airbender, she stepped closer to the bison's side and yanked some of the loose fur off his right flank, letting it float into the soft breeze, "he's leaving a trail _everywhere_ we go!"

Mariko had calmed to realize this argument was going in the wrong direction very fast, "Um, Toph…"

"How dare you blame Appa!? If there's anyone to blame, it's **you**! You're always talking about how you carry your own weight, but you're **NOT**! He is!" Aang exploded, gesturing wildly to the bison, "Appa's carrying your weight! We never had a problem when it was just the four of us!"

"I'm outta here." But instead of arguing with him in Katara's place, Toph just stared at him blankly and then turned away, kicking the ground with a heel to summon her bag from the ground near Mariko's feet to be hoisted over her shoulders; even when Sokka tried to stop her from leaving she just shrugged him away with another bit of earthbending, continuing in silence.

Mariko watched her go until she disappeared from sight before exhaling and flicking the airbender's ear, eliciting an 'Ow!' from the boy she delivered a sharp look at. She shrugged her own bag and katana on her left shoulder, following the earthbender's trail.

"You're not leaving too!" Sokka dove to stand infront of her, looking at her in disbelief.

"No, I'm going to bring Toph back, lunkhead. Until then, _both_ of you," she turned a glare at the water and airbender (respectively), amber gaze stern despite the light bags under her narrowed eyes, "Better _calm_ the hell _down_ before we get back." Turning on her heel, she stormed after the earthbender into the wood.

Once spotting the bobbing head of black hair only yards ahead of her (she'd covered at least a mile between the clearing and where she was now, thanks to being accustomed to trekking), she jogged the last few yards between them, slowing when she sidled to her right side.

"Don't tell me you're trying to be the _bigger person_ by dragging me back."

"No, that's _Katara's_ job. _Mine_ is sympathizing with the object of her naggings."

"An 'object'?"

"…You know what I mean."

Toph set her mouth in a thin line caught between a pout and a defeated expression, earning a smile from her walking partner. "Is she always like that, nagging to the point where you wanna sock her for it?" She asked dryly after a few moments of silence passed between them.

"Just when she's trying to figure you out. I already went through that hazing process months ago, so I know how it feels. I'm not telling you to embrace her mannerisms, I'm just trying to keep the peace because Aang needs a teacher, and because as far as I'm concerned, I was under the impression we were friends." Mariko exhaled air that blew strands of her fringe upward before they fell back in place, glancing at the shorter girl. "At least I hope."

"You, I can actually stand because between the two of ya, you're calmer than that Sugar Queen in most situations, but y'sounded pretty pissed earlier when she made that smart-ass comment about my being blind." She heard the older girl chuckle slightly at the earlier event, smiling wanly. "So yeah, we're friends... Just don't hug-tackle me for it." She added with an uneasy look.

She felt a tingly feeling in the pit of her chest at hearing that, especially from a stonewall earthbender like Toph, smiling warmly and punching her arm in light playfulness. "Tough cookie."

"Heh, and don't you forget it." She smirked in jest and slugged her in return.

Both girls continued walking before the younger tugged on her elbow to halt her; the older girl tensed slightly at her sudden halt, lifting a hand to the hilt of her katana before the younger girl acted. Body shifting, the earthbender sharply dragged her foot inward to send a rift at a nearby boulder, creating a small blast of dust and a muffled '_OW!_' to come from the other side of the boulder.

"Oh… that really smarted my tailbone…!"

Mariko lowered her hand once recognizing that familiar voice, looking at her friend and nudging her to cease fire. "Cool it; it's okay…" She stepped around the rock to see a familiar portly man with gray hair and a beard framing his round face, gold eyes blinking against the throbbing pain. "Uncle Iroh?" She said.

The retired general focused on the girl with wild black hair framing a pretty face with amber eyes and blinked one more time before putting on a warm smile. "It has been a while since I've seen you, Mariko."

* * *

He blearily opened an eye to see his uncle's familiar sight standing at his side. "Uncle…?"

"Get up." He pulled him to his feet.

A wide flamethrower screamed in the direction of the princess, being diverted with a flick of her wrist; the prince perked up at seeing the blast, a streak of black and maroon lunging at his sister, orange and blue flames deflecting and colliding viciously. "Mariko!"

Finding an opening, Azula's right foot shot out to kick her opponent's ribs and send her skidding back; she sent a wide jet of azure flames screaming at the admiral's daughter.

A blast of air diverted the flames, dust flying from the collide, surprising the princess momentarily before she darted away at the reminder that she had been outnumbered.

Mariko and Aang shared a nod, keeping the princess on the defense until they backed her into a proverbial corner between two buildings that opened into a narrow alley.

Azula made to counter when the ground jerked under her feet, knocking her off her footing, and she glared at meeting the fifth teenager of the group.

"I thought you guys could use some help." Toph smirked, easing her stance a smidge.

Katara smiled, "Thanks."

Mariko blocked her hasty blast of azure fire with an orange blast of her own, hot on her heels as the princess bolted down another alley, slowing her pace at seeing her bump face-first into her uncle's belly.

Now cornered by the group of seven, Azula glowered at each of them, regarding the stony looks on not only her family members, but the Avatar's group, her brother's girlfriend included. "Well, look at this: enemies and traitors, all working together." She raised her arms in surrender as she added, "I'm done; I know when I'm beaten. You got me… A princess surrenders with honor." She flicked her gaze briefly over the seven faces that were opposing her once again.

_Honor doesn't exist with your standing._

It only took a split second for the inevitable to happen, to which it did: faster than lightning, Azula shot a thin jet of flames in Iroh's direction, hitting him in the chest and cutting him down.

"**_NO_**_!_" Mariko and Zuko's combined bellows sounded before hell broke loose and twin blasts of flames joined with a blast of water, earth, and air plus a boomerang as the offensive attack encircled the azure flame shield the princess put up, creating an explosion that rang in her ears.

Black smoke chugged up slowly from the blast, revealing their target had slipped away unscathed, which didn't surprise the two firebenders in the slightest.

Mariko fought the angered tears rising to the rims of her eyes, turning in his direction as the prince dropped to his knees at his uncle's side, grimacing at the angered groan that came from her friend. "Zuko," she began softly, noting the others took a step closer just as she did.

He was too livid and upset to realize that she was the one who spoke, whirling around to shout, "**Get away from us**!" He noticed a tic in her left cheek, a grimace returning.

"Zuko, I can help!" Katara took another tentative step, the caring side showing prominently despite the pissed prince.

"_**LEAVE**__!_" A thin wave of flames lashed out from his hand, missing their heads as they ducked.

The quartet reluctantly turned to leave, but the admiral's daughter lingered; she looked down, pulling out a roll of bandages she'd saved from Omashu, noting they were still in good condition.

He didn't notice she had stayed until feeling her smaller hand clasp on his right, pushing a roll of bandages into his palm she gingerly upturned.

Pained gold burned stingingly into soft amber.

She offered a small faint smile, pulling her hand away, and rising from the crouch she'd dropped onto as quietly as possible. "Be safe… For me." She stood to hurry after her friends, fighting the urge to turn around and throw her arms around her oldest friend even as the stinging tears seared at the rims of her eyes until they slowly fell down her cheeks, but she kept going.

Uncle would survive and she would see Zuko again… She had to keep telling herself that, she just had to.

* * *

A/N: _this was an amusing episode to cover, overall. the fight at the end was dramatic, but hey when isn't a fight dramatic? lol anyway, hope you guys liked. not much else to put so later! _


	12. Planetariums and Owlish Librarians

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Planetariums and Owlish Librarians**_

* * *

"Oh splendid! I only wish I spoke his tongue… the stories this beast could tell."

Mariko shot a look at the exhilarated Professor Zei between finishing up her makeshift visor-hat, tightening the binding holding the cloak hood to cover the back of her head and neck, muttering to the earthbender next to her, "Makes you wonder if he ever got out much."

"Pssh, doubt it; wouldn't be surprised if he tried to measure Appa's brain capacity." Toph snorted.

Seeing as Aang had already picked a mini-vacation (which ended shortly because Sokka had needed to find his intelligence) and he'd given the opportunity for another mini-vacation to Katara, they'd ended up in the middle of the desert at a so-called pristine oasis that turned out to be nothing more than a dusty seedy town with an oasis that was actually a melting chip of an iceberg (in her opinion).

Though judging by how the group of sandbenders had been eyeing Appa while they'd stepped away (and therein met Professor Zei in the process of trying to cool off), Mariko was at least glad they weren't back at the dustbowl.

She had a bad feeling about the sandbenders but of course her curiosity towards this illusive Wan Shi Tong's Library outweighed the suspicion.

Hours passed at a painstakingly slow time interval and she was just dozing into a nap when Toph snapped into action and cried, "There it is!" Mariko's eyes flew open and she blinked when seeing everyone looking in the direction the earthbender had pointed; she blinked again before noticing the flawed logic in her words and felt a vein twitch on her temple, exhaling as everyone sent a glare or scowl at the girl as she added flippantly, "That's what it'll sound like when one of you _spots_ it." She grinned cheekily and waved a hand infront of her obviously-blind eyes.

Mariko rolled her eyes and started to resettle into her nap before a familiar pair of gold eyes narrowed in a pained expression flashed in her mind; she shifted so she was leaning against the farthest corner of the saddle, scowling at the sandy dunes that stretched for miles upon miles. _He'll be fine, he's a big boy; hasn't needed me for the past three years, so why should I worry when he's got Uncle Iroh with him?_ She tried to calm her rising concern for her friend, closing her eyes.

_Maybe he __**has**__ needed you all this time and just hasn't __**said **__**it**_, the little nagging voice in the back of her mind picked.

"Down there!" Sokka's voice jerked her out of her thoughts and vain attempt to nap, and she had half a right mind to whack him for interrupting her, "What's that?"

Disgruntled, the firebender took the spyglass from his hands and looked at where he was pointing, seeing nothing more than a half-buried tower with a domed top and a thin spire topping off the submerged high point. "Hm.. Aang, I think he might be on to something." Mariko agreed.

"Forget it," Katara lamented, disappointed, once they'd landed, the blueprint sketch in her hands as she compared the small tower to the drawing, "It's obviously not what we're looking for; this building's enormous."

Mariko made to open her mouth and counter before seeing movement in the distance; she looked in that direction and blinked once before noticing the figure had taken the form of a four-legged creature that seemed to be carrying a cylindrical object in its jaws. At seeing the creature coming closer, she realized that it was a gray fox. "Take note, you lot." She said as the other five travelers also took note of the fox that now trotted up the side of the tower into an opened window carved into the domed top.

"I think that was one of the knowledge-seekers!" Professor Zei said in complete wonder, excited eyes gleaming, "Oh we must be close to the library!"

Taking the sketch from the waterbender's hands, Mariko examined the tallest point of the library and then looked at the submerged tower again, a slow smile forming. "Funny you should mention."

Sokka joined her in looking at the sketch and added, "Mari's right, this _is_ the library." He gestured from the spire in the sketch to the actual tower before them, slightly amazed and crestfallen at the same time as he said, "It's completely buried."

"The library is buried!" Professor Zei cried in horror and reiterating what Sokka pointed out, rushing towards the tower to drop to his knees in despair, adding, "My life's ambition is now full of sand!"

Mariko followed him at a calmer pace, examining the tower again and tilting her head to one side before a light came on and she looked at her friends, "Actually, where there's a will, there's a way." At receiving three odd looks from the siblings and airbender, she smiled impishly. "Even though we can't really bend gravity like that fox did, if we use rope, we can see if the library is completely submerged or not."

Toph stepped forward to sidle to her side and place a palm against the sandy outer wall of the tower, nodding her head, "Given that the inside seems to still be completely intact, and huge, rope would be your best bet to get into the library. Since when're _you_ so optimistic, Sword Girl?" She slugged the older girl affectionately.

Mariko shrugged, smiling, "Since I'm bored."

It was at least fifteen minutes later before the quintet –Sokka, Mariko, Aang, Katara and Professor Zei; Toph had refused to accompany them because of obvious reasons and was therefore stuck babysitting Appa above ground—descended into the upper echelons of the library. Professor Zei was admiring the architecture that showcased mosaic-created clouds in the domed ceiling, and as they dropped lower, there was a slightly-eerie feel due to the green lights highlighting the columns of rows upon rows of books.

"It's breathtaking! The spirits spared no expense designing this place; look at those beautiful buttresses!" Professor Zei said softly in awe, blinking when both boys present snickered at the last word he uttered, looking at them in confusion. "What's funny?"

"Nothing," Aang said, trying to look like they weren't just giggling like… well, like immature boys, "We just like architecture."

"Horse-pucky." Mariko muttered to Katara, who shared her sentiment with a nod.

Four bridges met in an intersection as they broke their descent, directing her gaze to flicker between one section of book shelves to the other three wide sections, but she glanced up at the mosaic-tiled owl over one particular bridge's exit (she had a feeling this one was the main bridge) and whistled lowly. "Wan Shi Tong must have a fascination with owls." She murmured, looking to the two owls carved into the tops of two thin pillars on either side of the mosaic.

"My word! The exquisite mosaic handiwork of this tile-rendered avian symbol…" At noting his depiction warranted four deadpan expressions from the teens, the professor sheepishly summarized, "Eh, nice… owl."

The rustling of feathers sounded nearby, signaling the group to duck behind the two thin pillars, Aang, Professor Zei and Mariko behind one and Katara and Sokka behind the other. Being the brave one, Mariko glanced around the pillar and her eyes sharpened as a gargantuan owl covered in black feathers save a white patch on its round face that showed its abyss-like black eyes and small beak stepped onto the bridge intersection from another bridge perpendicular to the one they'd vacated. She bit back an oath and zipped her head back behind the pillar when the owl finished surveying the area and its head slowly turned in a three-sixty, blackened eyes staring unblinkingly in their direction.

"I know you're back there." The owl spoke in a low dry tone that seemed to echo with many other voices, and Mariko silently gulped as she realized this wasn't a mere beast but it was a spirit embodying the form of a black owl.

Both Aang and Mariko failed to stop the knowledge-seeking professor as he popped out from behind their pillar to introduce himself jovially to the owl spirit, "Hello! I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." The firebender was barely able to contain a low oath at his blissfully-absentminded approach to the intimidating librarian.

"You should leave the way you came… unless you want to become a **stuffed** head of anthropology." The owl threatened with bitterness and venom dripping from his voice.

"Are you the spirit that brought this library to the physical world?" Sokka asked after the quartet deliberated on following the professor's example, stepping out of their hiding place (Mariko trailed dutifully at Aang's side should any threat arise), coming to stand next to their fifth party member.

The owl replied, "Indeed. I am Wan Shi Tong, He Who Knows Ten-Thousand Things. And you are obviously humans, _which_, by the way," he sniffed haughtily, not making his distaste for their species inconspicuous, "are no longer permitted in my study."

"What do you have against humans?" Aang asked curiously.

Mariko had a pretty good idea of why he so disliked their kind, listening anyway as the spirit said with a tinge of bitterness coating his low voice, "Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans… like that firebender who came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy." Her eyes widened sharply as she recalled the incident at the North Pole; so Zhao had come to Wan Shi Tong's Library, did he? Amber eyes calmed, settling into a slightly tight gaze into space. "So," said spirit ducked his head down to meet Sokka's face with his own with barely seven inches between, baffling the boy, "who are _you_ trying to destroy?"

Sokka spluttered an answer, "What? Oh no, no, no destroying, we're not into that!" _Real smooth, meathead_.

"Then why have you come here?" Wan Shi Tong almost growled.

"Knowledge for knowledge's sake." Mariko said honestly, if only to keep Sokka from letting their expedition backfire like a stink-bomb, keeping her face stoic when the owl shifted his penetrating stare onto her.

Wan Shi Tong scrutinized, "Lying and _firebenders_ seem to go hand in hand these days. Besides, if you're going to lie to an all-knowing spirit being, you should at least put some effort into it."

"Why should I lie? And even if I _was_ lying, my dearest friend the Avatar would vouch for me." She hated to drag Aang into this, but he _was_ the bridge between the human and spirit world; he would've had to put a word in edgewise anyway.

Aang took the cue instantly, "We will not abuse the knowledge in your library, good spirit. You have my word." He bowed solemnly to the owl that was also scrutinizing him instead of the firebender (who coincidentally relaxed at being saved from being under the spirit's glare), the quartet bowing as well out of respect.

"Hm, very well," Wan Shi Tong complied reluctantly, "I'll let you peruse my vast collection… on one condition. To prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge."

Professor Zei was first, presenting a first-edition tome to the spirit who accepted it with a swipe of his wing; Katara went next, showcasing the waterbending scroll she'd pilfered from the pirates long ago; Aang was third, flashing a Fire Nation wanted poster of himself (probably meant as a keepsake or souvenir for the spirit) that was accepted with a "I suppose this counts" from the owl.

Sokka stepped forward and his fingers moved frantically to show the spirit a butterfly-knot he'd made from some string, beaming hopefully at the unamused creature, "Ta da; it's a special knot! That counts as knowledge."

Wan Shi Tong seemed to deadpan, "You're not very bright are you?"

Mariko rolled her eyes at his crestfallen expression as he shuffled away, exhaling as she pulled out a scroll from her bag, unrolling it to present to the owl. "The first firebending scroll I ever learned from, courtesy of my grandfather." She said politely, bowing slightly when the scroll was swept away with the owl's wing as Katara's had been.

"Enjoy the library," Wan Shi Tong wished before he took off after backing from the group to take off into the lower echelons of the library, disappearing into the dimness below.

"I didn't know you'd had a firebending scroll." Aang nudged the firebender as they followed Professor Zei, Katara and Sokka down one section.

Mariko shrugged, smiling a little, sadly. "I wasn't lying when I said it was the first scroll I learned from; Grandpa passed it down to Dad, and then to me when I started proper training at six." She answered.

* * *

Mariko stared up at the eclipsed sun model and fought the slight shudder at realizing that she would be powerless on the next solar eclipse; well okay, not _totally_ powerless…

"The Fire Lord is goin' down!" Sokka said excitedly, blinking once when feeling something standing behind him; looking over his shoulder, he froze at seeing the librarian looming and intimidatingly silent.

Wan Shi Tong sounded pissed, "Mortals are so predictable… and such _terrible_ liars." At that he looked scathingly at Sokka with unblinking black eyes, accusing, "You betrayed my trust. From the beginning you intended to misuse this knowledge for evil purposes."

"You don't understand!" Sokka defended quickly, "If anyone's evil, it's the Fire Nation. You saw what they did to your library; they're destructive and dangerous! We need this information!"

Mariko had half a right mind to punch him for voicing such a biased defense, but she kept her mouth shut and dreaded the tension that suffocated the planetarium's air, choking her.

"You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified?" Wan Shi Tong scoffed, adding, "Countless others before you have come here, seeking weapons or weaknesses or battle strategies."

Aang piped up to try and sway the spirit's oncoming wrath, "We had no choice; please, we're just desperate to protect the people we love."

Zuko's face appeared in her mind again and the firebender flinched, her hands lightly balling into fists as she knew the eclipse would not only affect her, but him as well… Damn.

The wind suddenly picked up around them, a loud flapping of wings sounding, and Mariko grappled for Katara's arm on reflex to fight the yanking sensation of the downdraft. "What're you doing!?" Aang asked, his voice raising a decibel in order to be heard against the loudness of the beating of his wings and the howling wind.

"I'm taking my knowledge back." Wan Shi Tong bit out in a quiet and cold voice that ripped through the noise he was creating, "Noone will ever abuse it again."

"He's sinking the building; we've gotta get outta here!" Katara barked as the ceiling was threatening to give way, judging by the sand starting to trickle from the newly-created cracks in the painted sky.

To her horror, the great spirit's form shifted so his neck elongated like a serpent's and he rose up to his full height, completely towering over them. "I'm afraid I can't allow that," the enormous owl thundered dangerously, "You already know too much." With a loud ear-splitting shriek his head snapped down at them.

A whip of fire lashed out from the firebender's hand and she knocked his beaked face away just long enough for the quintet to bolt out of the room at top speed, sprinting as fast as they could through the rows of book shelves, distinctly hearing the beyond-angered spirit giving chase by the light flapping of his wings.

"Aang, get him!" Mariko barked when distantly hearing Professor Zei pleading with the spirit to not destroy his 'vast collection of knowledge', skidding to a halt momentarily as the siblings continued running, lashing out with the whip and giving a sharp crack as the fiery tip smacked the bird right across the eyes.

_Okay, bad move… very bad!_

With a yanking motion of his hands, Aang grabbed the professor out of harm's way and Mariko shepherded the man past them; swinging his staff hard, Aang sent a wide blast of air at the owl as a thick fan of flames joined the gust, knocking their target off the bridge and down past the lower echelons. "We've gotta get back to the surface," Aang pointed out the obvious.

Mariko nearly ran into Katara when both girls noticed Sokka remained on the bridge with a strange look in his eyes; her own sharpened slightly as she realized he wasn't ready to leave just yet.

"Sokka, let's go!" Katara barked.

"But we still don't know when the next eclipse is gonna happen!" Sokka argued, looking at the bridge again.

Katara fired back desperately, "Don't be stupid, we'll find out later."

"No we won't! If we leave this place, we'll never get the information; Aang come with me to the planetarium, I need cover," Sokka finalized as the airbender trodded to his side, albeit reluctant, "Katara, take Momo and get outta here!" He looked to the firebender next, blue eyes hard, "Give some cover to my sister."

Mariko nodded, frowning concernedly, "Both of you hurry, then, and get your asses back to the surface." As Katara made to protest again, a loud crash sounded as the spirit had returned and dove between them and the two boys, being slapped hard by a thin bout of fire.

"**GO**!" Sokka yelled just as Mariko grabbed Katara's arm and bolted with Professor Zei at her heels.

"Hurry, Sokka!" Katara exclaimed.

Sprinting past one room after the other, she started to feel winded, but the imminent threat of being a knowledge spirit's lunch didn't sit well with her, so she kept running, making sure the waterbender was at her side every few seconds. Katara dragged her with her down one particular corner, both girls dropping to duck behind a wide bookshelf to regain their breaths, vainly praying they'd outrun the spirit.

Mariko bit her lower lip to fight voicing an oath when hearing a soft clicking of talons come down the row they'd dived into, and then the clicking faded after a few seconds, briefly surprising her; but not unsurprising, training and solitude had taught her to always be wary of another's presence.

He was still here.

"At least I'll have one specimen to add to my collection…" Wan Shi Tong's low drawl hummed before she heard him rush in their direction; both girls scrambled away from the bookshelf and continued running, nearing a section near the intersecting bridges and a sliver of relief ignited and came to life in her heart.

Skidding to a halt infront of the rope they'd originally come in through, both girls shifted into bending stances, but the owl spirit mere chuckled, advancing slowly on the puny threat both girls posed. "Your waterbending won't do you much good, here," he said to the waterbender, "I've studied Northern Water Style, Southern Water Style, and even Foggy Swamp Style. As to your firebending, you don't have enough discipline to keep from dying so foolishly in battle." His head cocked back, lifting up on his long neck as he made to strike.

A loud battle cry sounded overhead before either girl could strike, and the next second, Wan Shi Tong collapsed infront of them with a muffled 'thud'; Mariko blinked once before recognizing that the streak of blue she'd seen for one brief second prior had been Sokka who was wielding a thickly bound tome tucked under his right arm. "That's called Sokka Style: _learn it!_" Sokka boasted proudly.

Both siblings started ascending via the rope as the firebender and airbender became airborne via glider and fire-rockets (respectively); Sokka perked up to see they were missing a head, looking across the bridges to spot Professor Zei nestled between two book shelves with a few stacks of books encircling his sitting form. "Wait, Professor let's go!" He exclaimed.

"I'm not leaving… I can't." Professor Zei smiled blissfully despite the trickling sand indicating his impending burial, looking at total ease. "I've spent too long trying to find this place; there's not another collection of knowledge like this on Earth," he added dreamily, "I could spend an eternity in here."

At seeing the doubtful look cross his face, Mariko hovered near him, "He's made his choice, let's go!" She urged, zipping ahead of him upward, perking up when seeing the rope swinging violently, a combined cry of surprise coming from the siblings and she looked down to see the owl having regained consciousness and now trying to drag them down.

Determination blazed in her veins and Mariko swung out her right fist with a snarl, sending a wide blast of flames screaming at the persistent spirit and hitting him smack in the face, breaking his grip, but both siblings were soon falling; she dropped down to grab Sokka's extended arm, hoisting him up with Katara desperately clinging to his waist and she kicked it into overdrive as they sped up into the tops of the spire with Aang leading the way.

And then they were free, the clear sky shining down on the quartet that dropped to the sandy ground with a muffled 'oof'.

Both siblings were giddy at the excitement of surviving the ordeal and the newest bit of news regarding the war as Mariko flopped onto her back with a groan, panting and covering her eyes with an arm.

"Tui and La… Never again…" She gingerly got back to her feet, dusting off the sand, looking at the siblings and smiling a little at their joy, blinking as she realized they were missing something.

Mariko looked around quickly, seeing Toph plonked down a few yards away with her head on her knees; she frowned, the dread growing, stepping closer to the younger girl. "Toph?"

"Where's Appa?" Aang asked softly from nearby, making her look at him and then survey the area again to feel dread form a cold fist in the pit of her stomach… Well damn.

* * *

A/N:_ just a small note, i won't be covering 'The Desert' episode mostly because i feel Mariko miight strangle Sokka and also because it's a sort of situation i honestly have no desire to write out because it borders complete death by boredom for me. sorry, folks. good news? the Ba Sing Se arc is coming~ lol i'm psyched, dunno about you. regarding this chap, let's just pretend firebenders keep scrolls of 'how-to's' when it comes to stances and moves, okay? a small spoiler, that's gonna come in handy in Book 3. /wiggles eyebrows_

_anywho, thanks for the favs and follows so far, another shoutout to my silent readers, srsly, it feels great to hear love about this story, so do feel free to leave a review or comment. whether y'like or hate it, think it sucks or just love it to death, let me know. thanks!_


	13. Forsaking Hope

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Forsaking Hope_**

* * *

Once the door had been opened to showcase the port carved out from a cave, she felt her stomach knot at seeing the many faces of people that had been uprooted by the war.

Mariko suppressed a shiver of something she could only assume was shame, and she hated for one moment that it was because of her nation, because of the soldiers much like her father, that these people were suffering.

Katara noticed the darkening in her friend's expression and nudged her gently, seeing her amber eyes glance at her; she smiled warmly at the despondent firebender, seeing her smile back, albeit faintly.

"We're all looking for a better life, safe behind the walls of Ba Sing Se." The voice of Than said near them, his wife Ying and he also surveying the scene with slightly sad eyes.

The two groups parted ways shortly after and as Aang led the way to a ticket booth that had a surprisingly short line of buyers, Mariko lifted a brow in mild curiosity as a short graying man was denied a ticket because of his cabbage ware; she sweatdropped when the ticket lady yelled out 'Security!' and a hulking platypus-bear dressed ridiculously in the green guard uniform rose up on its haunches and swung a thick paw onto the stand of greenery, destroying the man's livelihood in seconds flat.

It took two guards to kindly usher the cracked vendor out of line, therein letting their group shuffle forward to the front with Aang in the lead when the woman at the booth snapped, "**NEXT**!"

"Um, five tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please," Aang requested, hesitant to get on this lady's bad side (even though the firebender had a sinking feeling this lady had never had a _good_ side).

"Passports."

"Noone told us we had to have passports..."

Sokka stepped forward, "Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!"

The squat grouchy woman didn't seem impressed in the slightest, scribbling down on something, "Ah, I see fifty Avatars a day, and by the way, _not_ a very impressive costume." She said dismissively, gesturing to the side to at least six look-a-likes of said airbender, earning a couple of looks from the teens. "Besides, no animals allowed… do I need to call _security?_"

Aang regarded the platypus-bear munching on a ruined cabbage to the side and gulped, shaking his head, "that won't be necessary."

"Next!" She hollered, but before the group could shuffle out of the line, Toph strode forward to the booth and muttered to them, "I'll take care of this."  
Slapping a shiny green slip with a gold seal on the front onto the slab, the earthbender informed, "My name is Toph Beifong, and I'll need five tickets."

The woman's eyes widened in shock, gaping, "Oh, the Golden Seal of the Flying Boar! It is my pleasure to help _anyone_ of the Beifong family." She said, bowing respectfully.

"It **is** your pleasure," Toph huffed snobbishly, gesturing to the quartet behind her, "As you can see, I am blind and these four imbeciles are my valets." She didn't see the death glare briefly shot in her direction from the firebender.

"But the animal…"

"… Is my seeing-eye lemur."

_Hook, line and sinker_. "Well, normally it's only one ticket per passport, buut, this document is so _official_… I guess it's worth five tickets." She stamped the approval onto five tickets and laid them out for the earthbender who took them with a smug "Thank you very much".

"What was with that 'imbecile' bit?" Mariko grumbled, elbowing the blind girl as she tucked her ticket into her tunic's folds.

Toph rolled her eyes, elbowing back, "Like she'd believe me if I said you lot were _competent_, _loyal_ _servants_… Besides, you woulda said the same if you wanted to scrape by without getting killed by their security." She returned.

Mariko pursed her lips in reluctant defeat, pinching the bridge of her nose. "True…"

"We still scammed that lady good!" Sokka cheered behind them before someone jerked on his collar from behind and brought him to a halt. The giddy smile dropped from his face as he was met with the pretty face of a security guard with auburn hair and cobalt eyes.

"Tickets and passports, please," the girl said firmly, holding a hand out.

"Is there a problem?" Sokka asked confusedly, blinking once, as the quartet turned to assess the occurrence (Mariko had to tug on Toph's sleeve to get her to turn).

"Yeah, I've got a problem with _you!_" The girl snapped, an index finger poking him in the chest as she continued bitingly, "I've seen your type before; probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious, and let me guess… _you're_ traveling with the Avatar."

The pieces started to connect. "Do I know you?"

"You mean you don't remember?" She scoffed, grabbing the front of his collar and tugging him closer, "maybe you remember _this_…" She leaned in to kiss his cheek.

Mariko sweatdropped, starting to feel like she was missing something…

"**Suki**!" Sokka cried happily before pulling her into an embrace she returned just as quickly.

"Is this the girl you told me cowed Sokka on Kyoshi Island?" Mariko lightly nudged the waterbender.

Katara nodded, chuckling at the slightly perplexed expression on the older girl's face. "Yup."

Seeing as they were blocking traffic, the group moved to reconnect and give a couple of intros regarding Toph and Mariko in one of the waiting areas over the turrets.

"You look so different without your makeup, and the new outfit," Katara commented.

Suki shrugged, mildly glancing in the direction of the ticket booths, "That crabby lady makes _all_ the security guards wear them," she explained, shooting another approving look in Sokka's direction, smiling at him, "And look at you, sleeveless guy; been working out?"

"I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then; nothing major," Sokka said smugly, flexing his arms.

Mariko rolled her eyes, flicking his ear and smirking when he pouted in her direction, crossing her arms. "Aside from his head swelling to the size of a glacier, a little birdie told me _you_ cowed him when you first met… My congratulations." She looked at the brunette girl and nodded her head in approval.

"Thanks; I imagine Katara hasn't been the _only_ _one_ to keep this guy in check, then," Suki chuckled.

"Nope." Mariko chuckled with her.

"Are the other Kyoshi Warriors around?" Aang broke in curiously, if only to change topic.

Suki said, "Yeah; after you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees, and we've been here ever since." She looked at the camp again and smiled when Momo hopped onto her shoulder, "Hi Momo, good to see you too… So why're you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?"

A somber vibe settled over the five teens before Katara answered for the group, "Appa is missing, and we hope to find him in Ba Sing Se."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Suki said in sympathy, looking at the airbender, "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm doing fine, would everyone stop _worrying_ about me?" Aang answered curtly, scowling from her to his friends.

Mariko thought to put a hand on his shoulder but she decided otherwise and instead refolded her arms over her chest, lowering her gaze to her boots.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Taking the ferry seemed a thousand times easier than crossing such a narrow path.

"The Fire Nation controls the western lake; rumor has it that they're working on something big on the other side, and they don't want anyone to find out what it is." Suki noted aloud from walking infront of her, taking a look at the passerby navy ship in the distance on the left of the narrow cliff range.

Mariko scowled slightly as she followed her gaze, gripping the strap of her katana's scabbard reflexively. "_That_ wouldn't surprise me; anything to conquer and share their nation's prosperity with the rest of the world." _Just like something my father would say_.

A low rumbling sounded behind them, and the patch of cliff Than was walking on crumbled so he dropped from walking between Ying and Sokka; a quick save from Toph brought him back up, and he said in relief, "I'm okay!"

Her blood ran cold when hearing the patch of rock he'd almost fallen with crashed in the waters below the jagged pass. "Not for long; they spotted us!" She alerted, loud nasal sirens going off from the passerby ship and she jerked her gaze sharply onto the ship to see the soldiers scrambling on the front deck to load up a catapult with a flaming boulder; "Let's go, let's go!" Sokka exclaimed, hurrying everyone forward as Aang streaked outward to meet the oncoming flaming projectile, swinging his staff sharply to send the boulder crashing into one of the towers on the ship. Another boulder screamed past him to crash into a taller ridge overhead, sending rocks to crash downward and break apart the path; Sokka was almost caught in the crossfire if Toph didn't destroy the oncoming projectiles with an overhead slab of earth.

"Suki are you okay?" Instead of thanking the earthbender, he hurried to check on the older girl and lift her to her feet, "You have to be more careful, c'mon!" Sokka scolded, dragging her after his lead at a sprint.

"_'Thanks for saving my life, Toph_'; yeah, no problem, Sokka." Toph muttered annoyedly as Mariko was at her side.

Mariko rolled her eyes, shaking her head and nudging her, "C'mon." Both girls sprinted to catch up with Aang tailing them; she glanced back at the burning ship and narrowed her eyes, continuing on her way.

* * *

The angered, shrill screeches from the hulking serpent (which was coincidentally the namesake of their jagged terrain passage) rang in her ears as she hurried after the others down the ice path to the safer side of the path rising up from the submerged portion they had intended to walk earlier.

Both Aang and Katara were busy fending off the giant beast and it took Sokka's beckon to the earthbender still glued to the slab of rock she'd lifted to jerk her attention away from watching the spectacle.

Mariko bolted past him onto the ice path and skidded to a halt when she set foot on the slab. "Toph, c'mon, take my hand." She urged, glancing to see the two waterbenders driving the beast back; damn, it was coming closer to the slab, and fast. "**Toph**!" She snapped alertly, cringing when the serpent snarled in pain when its long neck crashed with the major portion of the slab, slightly yelping when the younger girl jumped and inadvertently clawed into her shoulders out of surprise. Hooking an arm around her back, the firebender dragged her friend down the path at a sprint, ignoring the tightened grasp on her shoulders she warranted.

"Do you know how **_stupid_** that was!?" Sokka barked, relieved and annoyed with both girls at the same time as they threw themselves onto the safer part of the path.

Suki shook her head and lightly whacked the back of his head. "You should _thank_ Mariko for rushing in when _you_ obviously _didn't!_" She scolded pointedly, cobalt eyes scowling at him before she stooped to help the blind girl to her feet as the firebender stood shortly after, dusting herself off.

Mariko looked from her to the boy who had the expression of a kicked puppy-cub, her face softening before she waved it off with a hand. "It's okay, Suki; thanks anyway, for sticking up for me." She smiled at the female warrior.

It was at least another two hours until they made it to the more even part of the Serpent's Pass, and she, for one, was glad for it. It was funny how before Appa had been taken, time wasn't measured so slow as it was now that he was absent.

_Irony_.

"There's the wall!" Stirred from her thoughts, Mariko looked at where the Water Tribe boy was pointing and she focused her sights on the towering wall in the distance; so close, yet so far away… "Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se…!"

"Oh no!" A gasp of pain came from Ying, cutting off his jovial exclamation.

Mariko slugged the boy with a groan, "You _had_ to open your mouth, _didn't_ you?"

Sokka rubbed his arm gingerly, looking at the pained woman with slight apprehension, "What's wrong?"

"The baby's coming!" Ying exclaimed.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Aang, what're you doing here? I thought you were looking for Appa." Katara asked in confusion she, Mariko, Toph and Sokka shared at seeing the airbender returned shortly from his excursion to the wall.

In that amount of time, they'd said their goodbyes to Suki who had returned to Full Moon Bay and had continued with Than and his new family trailing behind them.

Aang dropped to land expertly infront of the group, a grim look on his young face. "I was, but something stopped me… something big."

Studying the grim expression on his face, she also noted there was a flash of determination gaining strength in his gray eyes; Mariko frowned.

* * *

A/N: _niice, second cliffhanger in the story. lol hopefully i didn't disappoint.. and yes, after next chap the Ba Sing Se arc begins and i'm loving how it's coming out so far. there's another couple of twists i'm going to put, but other than that? i'm __**not**__ spoiling __**anything**__ for you lot~. fufufu_

_preview for the next chapter:_  
_'__**If the Earth King was employing men like General Sung to such an esteemed rank, she might have to owe Fire Lord Ozai an apology**__.'_


	14. The Impenetrables vs the Penetrables

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_The Impenetrables vs the Penetrables _**

* * *

The grim sight of the long drill with a Fire Nation insignia on the top of its back left her just the slightest bit unnerved; sure Uncle Iroh had tried getting past the Outer Wall long ago, but he had up and mothballed the mission because of the untimely death of his son, Lu Ten.

"…It is an honor to welcome you to the Outer Wall, young Avatar. But your help is not needed." The esteemed General Sung, a graying man whose air was something she found she disliked automatically, proclaimed haughtily.

Mariko jerked her gaze away from looking out at the oncoming drill, amber eyes sharpening. "Sorry; how is his help '_not needed'_?" She asked curiously, a catty edge rising to the tip of her tongue.

'_Not needed'_… What kind of fool _was_ this man? If the Earth King was employing men like General Sung to such an esteemed rank, she might have to owe Fire Lord Ozai an apology.

"Yes, '_not needed'_. I have the situation under control; I assure you, the Fire Nation cannot penetrate this wall. Many have tried to break through it, though none have succeeded." Sung answered confidently, rising from his seat to showcase the supposed strength of the Outer Wall, leading the teens on a mini-tour.

"So the esteemed feat of the **Dragon of the West** is just a fairy tale, is it?" Mariko drawled cattily, quirking a brow. Toph chimed, "Yeah, what about the Dragon of the West? **He** got in."

Both girls' barbs left him flustered, confidence slipping through his fingers, "W-well, uh… technically, yes. But he was quickly expunged!" He shot back hastily, leaving the teenagers unimpressed, "Nevertheless, that's why the city is named Ba Sing Se: it's the _impenetrable_ city. They don't call it '_Na Sing Se_'." He laughed weakly at his own joke before clarifying, "That means '_penetrable city'_."

"As _mundane_ of an anecdote as it was, there's still the matter of the drill." Mariko pointed out blandly, subconsciously showcasing the calculating and bold admiral's daughter she often tried to brush under the rug.

"Not for long! To stop it, I've sent an elite team of earthbenders called the Terra Team." Sung stated proudly, confidence returned, gesturing to the specks of dark green below that were getting into attack formation on the drill.

"You'd have to be drunk to come up with such a piss-poor name like that…" Mariko murmured under her breath, but Toph (who was standing closer to her) snorted amusedly.

Sokka, on the other hand, seemed to think it sounded good, "That's a good group name… very catchy." He winced when both earth- and firebender slugged his arm from either side in bemused chiding.

Letting her eyes observe the rebellion the esteemed Terra Team made against the drill, she was only mildly amused when they took out a handful of tanks and didn't prevail against laying a scratch on the hulking drill. Her gaze sharpened when seeing two specks hop out of the drill and she recognized the two specks of maroon and pink to be two of her most favorite people in the world…

"Damn it." Mariko hissed even though she had had a sinking feeling they were behind the attempt at another conquest; at earning a reproving scowl from Katara she ignored it, exhaling through her nostrils. "So much for that confidence in rock-chucking meatheads." She muttered, watching Ty Lee topple the last earthbender with some well-placed jabs at his chi points.

"**We're** **DOOMED**!" General Sung wailed as his panic attack seemed to seize him at full-force; Sokka slapped him hard across the face and exclaimed, "Get a hold of yourself, man!"

"You're right," he said weakly, rubbing his cheek, "I'm sorry."

"Maybe you'd like the Avatar's help **now**?" Toph wondered cheekily.

Groveling didn't suit the man well; General Sung shuffled up to the boy, bowing his head in shame, "Yes, please." He said timidly.

* * *

Taking the drill down from the inside-out seemed a brilliant plan… y'know, from afar. Now actually inside the damned thing, well, it seemed more intimidating.

But she brushed the feeling away, scowling at her feelings toward such a giant hunk of metal and backing up as Katara and Aang took a break from cutting through one of the braces, earning a baffled look from Sokka.

"Um, Mariko, what're you doing…?" Sokka blinked owlishly at her before the girl bolted and leaped off the brace, landing nimbly on the left brace.

"What'd you expect me to do, stand there and look pretty?" Mariko scoffed, summoning a thick whip of fire into her hands, shaping it to form into an identical whip to that of the water Aang and Katara were using, starting to hack at the brace infront of her, smirking proudly when it started to dissolve and be cut through with her flame-saw, bouncing the saw between her hands outstretched at an arm's length as she helped them cut down the braces.

Several braces later and all three benders were getting winded; the firebender gave her brace another sharp lashing before she clapped her hands together to dissipate the saw, flopping back onto the sturdier part of the brace and panting. "Please tell me we're almost done." She would murder the dumbass who had come up with making this damn contraption if she ever got back home.

A low mechanical groan sounded as the drill seemed to skid to a halt, and she had to wonder if their efforts hadn't been in vain…

"Did you hear that? We took it down! We better get outta here, fast," Sokka declared as Mariko dropped down onto the original brace from leaping back to them, leading the way to the exit.

"Congratulations, crew. The drill has made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se… Start the countdown to victory!" A man's voice cut through the intercom overhead, his words resounding throughout the middle level they were in.

"_Seriously!?_"

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Great job, Team Avatar! Now Aang just needs to… **DUCK**!" Sokka cried as he narrowly avoided a blast of azure flames from a brace higher up.

Mariko deflected the next blast of fire, a fiery whip on hand as she cracked it and struck at their footing, gritting her teeth slightly when the whip was cut off with a slap of the hand from the princess.

"Wow, Azula, you were right! It **IS** the Avatar… and friends." Ty Lee chirped, smirking at the older boy present.

Sokka smiled lazily, starting to greet back when Katara grabbed his arm and the quartet sprinted down a path with Mariko and Aang bringing up the rear.

"Guys, get out of here; I know what I need to do!" Aang barked as they came to a fork, the trio skidding to a halt as he started running in the opposite direction.

Katara tossed the water pouch at him, "Wait! You need this water more than I do."

Sokka, Mariko and Katara skidded to a halt at the apparent dead-end of their path infront of what appeared to be a sewer hatch.

"Oh no, no way in hell…" Mariko began.

"It's either that or get your chi blocked!" Katara argued, enduring the scathing look from the older girl.

"I'd risk it… H-hey, Sokka!" Mariko yelped an expletive when she was shoved into the murky depths of the nausea-yellow rock and water concoction by said boy's shove, Katara and Sokka following shortly, closing the hatch before a dagger from Mai narrowly hit the covering, missing the trio.

"If we get out of this alive, I'm **GOING** to kill you for that, Sokka!" Mariko shouted, the tomboy exterior fleeing right from under her as a very girly yelp of surprise escaped when their ride in the river of sludge was brought to a halt and all three teenagers landed face-first in the pooled sludge at the back of the drill.

Both Sokka and Mariko spluttered and gagged on the yellow mud-like liquid, the former yelping when the latter slugged him hard. Katara rolled her eyes at the scene and perked up as a fourth voice gave a surprised cry from the sludge, and a flash of pink showed that Ty Lee had followed them; she straightened quickly and extended her right hand out at the sludge, stockpiling it and sending it to roll back into the edge of the back-exit.

"Nice one," Mariko commented from her position having Sokka in a head-lock with his right cheek pulled out, yelping when said boy rammed an elbow into her ribs and punted her off, letting her fall into the sludge.

"Why don't you try blocking my chi _now_, circus freak?" Katara spat bitingly at the caught acrobat, keeping her stance even as Sokka got back up near her.

"Katara, keep that up! The pressure will build up in the drill, and when Aang delivers the final blow, it'll be ready to pop!" Sokka urged excitedly.

Mariko bumped his hip with hers pointedly, making him yelp as he fell back into the sludge, shaking her head of the disgusting stuff. "Don't you think we figured that out already, genius?" She said sarcastically.

"Good technique, little sister; keep it up! Don't forget to breathe…" Sokka was back up again, and his coaxing was riding on both girls' nerves.

Katara glared back at him annoyedly, "You know, I'm just about _sick and tired_ of you telling me what to do all day! You're like a _chattering hog-monkey!_" She snapped.

"**_Just bend the slurry, woman_**_!_" Sokka yelled, his voice cracking, before she summoned some sludge to knock him on his backside, distinctly hearing Mariko snickering.

"You guys need some help?" Both girls blinked and smiled in relief as Toph came forward from under the drill.

"Toph, help me plug up this drain!" Katara instructed; together, both girls sent the river of sludge jolting back into the hull of the drill, and Mariko could practically hear all the pipes groaning mechanically as they were backed up completely.

"You did it!" Mariko beamed when hearing loud popping sounds coming from the four sections of the drill, a further sign they'd taken the hulking mechanism down.

"Here it comes!" Toph barked, lifting their footing up with a gesture so they towered over the river of sludge that poured out from inside the drill.

Mariko looked at the exhaust smoke rising up into the twilight from the wreckage and she smiled grimly. _If Uncle Iroh couldn't breach the wall, then what makes you think you could, Azula?_

* * *

A/N_: oi there's a long chap coming up, so many things to cover... but am i going to tell you about it? pssh.. no. feel free to leave some feedback; it goes a long way in these parts~_

_preview of the next chapter:_  
'_**Neat and single-file, keeping the strays out of the picture... just like home**__.'_


	15. City of Facades and Stonewalls

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**City of Facades and Stonewalls **_

* * *

"He's a giant bison; where could someone possibly hide him… _Oh_."

Mariko stirred from polishing one of her daggers, looking at the vast expanse of buildings laid out on either side of the railway and she felt her stomach drop. _Well, if that's the case, we'd better start looking as soon as possible_, she mused.

"Back in the city; _great_." Toph grumbled, petting the lemur draped over her right shoulder, earning a glance from the firebender admiring the many buildings and expansive territory that was the Lower Ring as they disembarked from the train car.

Sokka disagreed, "What's the problem? It's amazing!"

"Just a bunch of walls and rules," Toph countered with a dismissive hand, "You wait; you'll get sick of it in a couple of days."

Mariko huffed, sliding her hands into the pockets of her pants. "I agree with Toph; rules and regulations are some of the _luxuries_ of being sheltered." She said with heavy sarcasm and some venom regarding the word 'luxuries'.

Sokka rolled his eyes, blinking when she stiffened and her left hand subtly tugged at the handle of her concealed dagger tucked into her right wrist guard, looking at where she was staring to see a brunette woman standing on the other side of the railway, seeming to wait for the train to pass so she could cross over.

There was a creepy vibe to that mechanical smile on the woman's face that made her the slightest bit on edge.

It heightened her sense of unease she tried her damnedest to conceal beneath a neutral mask when the woman's mechanical smile was approaching them at a confident march.

Sokka elbowed her pointedly when seeing the dagger handle was poking out more, jerking her from her subconscious actions, watching her tuck it back and drop her arm, not without nudging him back in response, her pretty face going stoic.

"Hello, my name is Joo Dee." The woman introduced, looking to each of the teenager's faces. "I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Mariko. Welcome to our wonderful city," she nodded to the quartet before adding brightly, "Shall we get started?"

Mariko narrowed her eyes at her when her back was turned, traipsing alongside Toph's left, vaguely wondering how in hell this robot knew of her; she hadn't been _that_ conspicuous in the past three years, had she?

Sokka seemed pissy when their guide completely ignored his attempts to deliver the news about the upcoming eclipse to the Earth King, trailing at the back of the group.

"This is the Lower Ring," Joo Dee informed after they left the station and boarded an elaborately posh carriage as they passed through the main street of the lower echelons in the city.

"What's that wall for?" Katara asked, indicating the wall barraging the slums from the middle class sections; her nose wrinkled at the blatant reminder of home.

"Ba Sing Se has many walls: there're the ones _outside_ protecting us, and the ones _inside_ that maintain order." Ignoring the quiet snort from the third girl present, she continued, "This is where our newest arrivals live, as well as our craftsman and artisans, people that work with their hands. It's so quaint and lively." Joo Dee explained lightly.

Her lip curled slightly when noting a couple of men talking on one side of the carriage, amber eyes zeroing in on the broadsword's blade winking sunlight as it was held reflexively by a shady-looking man.

"You _do_ want to watch your step, though." Their guide added, her smile faltering a smidge when the other five occupants looked at where the firebender was scowling.

"Why do they have all these poor people blocked off in only one part of the city?" Katara asked more to herself.

Aang had a slightly-somber expression on his face as he commented, "This is why I never came here before; I'd always heard it was so different from the way the monks taught us to live."

"Neat and single-file, keeping the strays out of the picture." Mariko contributed softly, folding her arms over her chest, jaw set in a displeased scowl. _Just like home_.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Is that woman _deaf?_ She only seems to hear every other word I say!" Sokka exploded when they stopped to be given a tour of Town Hall in the Middle Ring.

It had only taken half an hour or so to pass between the two sects but Mariko got that itch again, the curiosity that had first egged her to escape with Aang and his friends the day they met, the curiosity that used to get her in trouble when she was growing up.

Right now it was nagging her to go snoop around the Lower Ring.

She had her daggers and katana and carried little money; she'd be fine.

"It's called '_being handled_'; get used to it." Toph informed bitingly, crossing her arms and slouching against the seat.

Mariko nodded her agreement and shuffled out of the carriage with the trio as she stayed put, if only to stretch her legs.

The tour of the 'oldest building in the Middle Ring' lasted at least for an hour, or more judging by her count. When Joo Dee turned to showcase some artifact to the trio, she took the chance and slipped away, darting behind a wall that separated the side street with the building she was showing them. She didn't waste a second to see if she had been missed, keeping to the shadows of the side streets until she backtracked to the middle-ground divider between the two sects of the city, crossing through without having anyone spot her; luck was with her.

Once setting foot in the Lower Ring she felt her shoulders sag with an unrequited sigh she hadn't let out in that damn carriage. Knowing she would be missed within an hour or so, she accepted that she would most likely get an earful from Katara and with that knowledge, she didn't look back as she continued walking, weaving in and around people that all seemed to have that weary look on their faces, the same weary look she had seen on the refugees back at Full Moon Bay.

Mariko crossed through at least four or five blocks without intrusion, and even though she felt some measure of shame once again at seeing how many people had been uprooted by the war, she was glad for the solace, even if it was just her.

A passerby cart carrying pottery got in her way when she came across another narrow street, and she practically had to jump back from getting run over by the driver; she glared slightly at the cart as it continued on (to the main street their carriage had come through, if she had to guess), leaving her to catch sight of the sign adorned with two jade lanterns on either end of a shop right infront of her.

Tilting her head to the side, she read the characters scrawled and emboldened on the sign and smiled thoughtfully at the prospect.

A small break wouldn't hurt, now would it?

She stepped inside the dimly lit main room of the tea shop and closed the door quietly behind her, the streaks of sunlight that came with her dying when the door closed. "Hello? Anyone here?" She called politely once noticing the room was vacant of life.

"Sorry for the wait…" The tea-server declared as he stepped out from the back room, and she took in his olive-brown longsleeve shirt under a brown sleeveless tunic, the short ruffled dark brown hair on his head, his pale complexion… _Wait a second_.

Gold met amber.

"W-what the… Mariko?"

"Zuko?"

"**What're you doing here**?"

Mariko took in the pale apron he wore and she failed to keep the confused expression for much longer, an amused smile curving her lips slowly. "I-I, um… Have you been here long, in Ba Sing Se?" She asked; the prince she had grown up with wouldn't take a simple stint job of serving tea without swallowing his pride.

"Um, no… not really, anyway. Uncle and I barely arrived yesterday." Zuko stumbled slightly over his words, his ears burning as he saw the laughter dancing vainly in her eyes, knowing he looked stupid with this damn apron on… "What about you? I thought you were with the Avatar." He returned quickly, clearing his throat, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, I'm just doing some exploring. His girlfriend and I kinda had a spat on the way here, so I figured I'd cool off by looking around, y'know, in the Lower Ring." She wasn't really lying, though the spat with Katara was weeks old, given they rarely butted heads.

He eyed her with a knowing look, seeing she slightly fidgeted under his stare, but other than that she was telling the truth; his face softened slightly. "You look like you got taller." Or maybe it was the fact that she was wearing a sleeveless tunic that showed her thin arm muscles… Wait why was he ogling that? No, keep it platonic; he wasn't in the mood to get his hopes up with her.

The last few times they met she sided with her new friends, and each time it left a bitter taste in the back of his mouth.

Heat colored her cheeks pink and she kicked at the floor with a boot, closing her eyes calmly with a tilt of her chin upward, noting his hair again; she smiled thoughtfully. "Your hair grew out." She half-chuckled, amber eyes twinkling. "Kinda reminds me of a boar-cupine."

His cheeks turned dark pink and he snorted, cutting his gaze away at her instinctive reaction to a compliment; typical tomboy, typical Mariko. "S-shut up, at least my hair doesn't look like a tangled mess." He picked.

"That's only because I haven't combed it today." She puffed her cheeks out childishly, pouting.

He regarded the expression that crossed her face and couldn't help but chuckle quietly; even if she was flaky in her choices, she was still cute when she made faces.

"Don't patronize me," Mariko groused, slugging him affectionately on the shoulder.

Zuko rubbed his arm gingerly and pouted, making her laugh. "Ow! Crap, I almost forgot how hard you could punch…" He grumbled, narrowing his gold eyes in feigned scathing.

She smiled cheekily, lifting her hand that had punched him to tousle his hair. "You _forget_, princeling, that I happen to be a _girl_." She reminded.

He looked away with a slight blush coloring his cheeks again and he scowled embarrassedly. "Don't call me that." He pretended she didn't giggle at his embarrassment.

"I had wondered why my nephew sounded so flustered." A voice said from the doorway to the back room, making both teenagers look to see his uncle standing there with a pot of tea in hand, the manager obviously having been assured they could handle the front with ease.

"Uncle!" Mariko beamed, forsaking formality and watching him lower the pot onto a nearby table as she embraced him. "I'm so glad you're here! I was worried."

_Then why didn't you stay?_ A small nagging voice in the back of his head demanded dryly.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"And **you**! Where've you **been**!?"

Mariko closed the front door behind her entrance and ignored the grimace that threatened to contort her face at the loud volume, regarding the explosive greeting from her age-mate with a neutral look. "Out."

She'd left the Lower Ring only an hour ago, saying she would be back the next day, and even though her friends should know where she had been for the past few hours, she didn't dare tell them. She had a pretty good feeling she'd end up both maimed and with the third degree if she voiced just _who_ she had run into while in the slums of Ba Sing Se.

"Shoulda dragged me with you, then, just to get away from the snooze-fest." Toph huffed from picking her toes, lounging in the small common room by the back of the spacious living area.

"Sorry; so, judging by the grimness in the air, I imagine Ms. Smiles didn't let you within walking distance of the Earth King." Mariko nudged her gently after she traipsed past the annoyed Sokka and kicked her boots off, plonking down next to her.

"How'd you guess? I know this is kinda stretched, but have you ever heard of the Dai Li, Mariko?" Aang asked, sitting across from both girls.

Mariko finger-combed her mane of black hair she'd brought over her left shoulder, brow furrowing softly in thought. "Just that they're like the special-operative-police that're supposedly loyal to the Earth King. If what Joo Dee said was correct, though, regarding the inner walls restricting the lower, middle and upper class, then I'd bet my right hand that the Dai Li are the enforcers of '_order'_." Her lip curled at the word and she yanked her fingers through a particularly stubborn knot. "Irony enough how life inside Ba Sing Se is a spitting image of how life in the Fire Nation is. Colonials, middle-class nobles, and then upper-class nobles plus the royal family make up the society; the latter are what make up Caldera, the palace city." She added the last bit dryly.

"Poverty and nobility are the same no matter what nation, huh?" Toph surmised.

"The only difference is that one nation churns out destruction every five seconds." Sokka mused as he plonked down next to Aang, slightly miffed, mostly curious now that she had spilled so much regarding how society was structured in the Fire Nation.

Mariko shot him a death glare, "I'm sure the Earth Kingdom has its bad blood, too; if you were warned to stay away from the Dai Li, then that obviously means there is bad blood _all_ around." _Though from the rumors and accusations it sounds like they've been corrupted for a while_.

"So you think the Dai Li are corrupt or something?" Katara asked as she had been listening and had come to sit at Aang's right, blue eyes regarding her friend with curiosity.

"It's possible." She blinked once at noting she was the center of attention, feeling her ears burn as she sat back and scowled. "Look, just because I come from the Fire Nation doesn't mean I'm a walking military encyclopedia." _If anything, just because my father is an admiral it doesn't mean he'd share combat stories with me when I was a kid_, she silently added. "Sokka's the son of a warrior, here, anywho, and he **is** the leader, right?"

Almost visibly inflating, said boy smiled cheekily, "_Right_ you are, Ms. Spitfire."

Mariko fought a grimace at basically complimenting him, rolling her eyes and flicking his ear.

* * *

"The King is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear." Katara informed, waving a rolled-up fancy scroll in her hand.

Aang lifted a brow, "You mean platypus-bear?"

"No, it just says 'bear'." Katara replied, mystified, looking at the scroll again.

Mariko rolled her eyes as the trio tried guessing what kind of pet the King had, sighing and sheathing the katana she had been polishing, a quiet 'clink' sounding. "Sounds boring."

Katara's hypothesis earned a raised brow, "The palace will be packed; we can sneak in with the crowd."

"Won't work." Toph declined simply, matter-of-factly, and at Katara's confused rebuttal, she added knowingly, "Well no offense to you simple _country_ folk, but a real society crowd would spot you from a mile away: you've got no manners."

Mariko smiled bemusedly at Katara's incredulous look, nodding her head. "Toph's right, actually. No manners or proper etiquette in the face of a room full of Earth Kingdom elitist snobs? You'll be thrown out faster than week-old-fish." She contributed blandly.

"Just because _you_ lived in a noble house that makes you an expert?" Sokka scoffed.

"Manners and etiquette were _forced_ on me since I could first talk; my mother was a fanatic about '_how a proper young woman should behave_'." Mariko answered bitterly.

"'I've got no manners'? It's not like you two are exactly Lady Fancy-Fingers and Lady Politeness." Katara sniffed.

"**I learned proper society behavior and ****_chose_**** to leave it**." Both fire- and earthbender answered simultaneously, the latter who had been munching on a pastry tossing it aside to let the lemur snack on it; "You never learned anything, and frankly, it's a little too late." She added, picking at her nose absently.

"Aha, but _you_ learned it; you could teach us!" Sokka piped up from lounging near the raised platform Aang lounged on. Said airbender chimed, "Yeah, I'm mastering all four elements; how hard could learning manners be?"

Mariko sweatdropped when both boys tried to play fancy, snorting and then uttering a quiet giggle when their bows –they'd begun bowing low to each other, but the bows turned into narrowly-missed headbutts—resulted in a sharp head-butt that made both of them fall back in a heap. "Mum always said _girls_ had more tact when it came to manners and being proper." She murmured.

"Katara and Mariko might be able to pull it off, but you two would be lucky to pass as busboys." Toph added with a snicker, regarding them with a bemused look.

Sokka pouted, "But I feel so _fancy_…"

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Are you sure you don't wanna go?"

She rolled her eyes and helped her tame the thick bushy locks of brown into an elegant chignon with green and pink hair adornments, letting her tuck the stray strands behind her ears. "Pretty sure a firebender in the middle of the King's palace is a violation in and of itself. Besides, I've suffered enough at the hands of the uppercrust society; I'll pass." She declined patiently.

She examined the chignon in the mirror of the communal bathroom's vanity, poking the light makeup she'd helped her put on before her hand was swatted away by her stylist. "Well okay, if you're sure…" She muttered.

"Let her sulk at home; as punishment for making me _suffer through hell_ one last time, your penalty is helping me put on this damn warpaint." Toph said testily from the chair next to Katara's.

Both older girls shared a slight smile before Katara left the room.

Mariko sighed and pulled the makeup kit onto the right side of the counter and began working with her pale concealer. "Sorry I'm bailing on ya." She mumbled.

"Don't be; I know you're going out, anyway." Toph sniffed, perking her ears, not seeing the older girl stiffen; at sensing she'd caught her in a lie, she smirked cockily and closed her eyes when feeling the lavender eye shadow being put on. "The feet don't lie." She added simply.

Mariko chewed on her lower lip, scowling in defeat, and sighing as she applied the lipstick, a light pink color. "Perceptive little stonewall… You gotta promise you won't tell, okay?" She glanced over her shoulder at the closed door of the room and then at her 'masterpiece' who nodded slightly. "My friend is here, in the city. I ran into him yesterday in the Lower Ring." She explained softly.

Toph's brow crinkled slightly in thought as she added a darker tinge of pink blush to her cheekbones. "Your _boyfriend_ you mean… That's that guy, isn't it? The nephew of that man. You were pretty depressed the day after we were in that ghost town." She didn't see her friend's cheeks color dark pink at her assumption, milky green eyes narrowing in realization.

"… Yeah, it's him. I don't know how he got here to Ba Sing Se, but he's here, and I… it's complicated." Mariko mumbled, finishing her work and putting the equipment away.

"Dunno, but all I'm saying is to keep it under wraps. If the Sugar Queen finds out about it..." She crossed her arms, a grim light entering her sightless eyes.

She sighed and nodded, smiling at the younger girl; for a stonewall tomboy earthbender, she was pretty smart for her age. "Thanks, Toph." She nudged her to get up, opening the door for her.

She slugged her arm affectionately, smirking when the older girl muttered an 'Ow'. "Don't mention it; if you see the old man, tell him I said hello." She replied under her breath, striding out to join Katara in the limelight.

::::::::dOb::::::::

It didn't take long for her to locate the shop again. Of course it was busy with customers, most of them looking like they'd come to relax after a hard day of work.

She had a hunch the shop's sudden increase in popularity had to do with Uncle Iroh; the man was best when it came to the ways of tea-making. "One jasmine tea, please." She said lightly once finding a vacant table at the back corner near the window on the right-hand side of the seating area, smiling up at the tea-server.

The prince made a face when seeing the amusement in her eyes, scribbling it down. "You just _enjoy_ doing this, _don't_ you?" He groused, his displeased scowl on his brow, one she had grown accustomed to seeing in the past few instances they had run into each other.

The admiral's daughter smiled sweetly, tilting her head to the side, "I have no idea what you're talking about." She allowed a chuckle as his lips formed into a thin line of annoyance and he turned to storm back behind the cashier's counter.

Zuko soon returned with a slightly lukewarm cup of tea, placing it infront of her with a bit of force. "Your tea, _Your Highness_." He bit out, irritable that she was enjoying heckling him so late in the afternoon.

Mariko grinned impishly, sipping the tea. "How sweet, you missed me so soon." She sang.

At not seeing more customers coming in, the prince exhaled and leaned against the wall, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, _you_ just came to bug me again." He said testily.

"So you didn't miss me, after all." She surmised from above the rim of her cup, her tone softened in something he pegged to be melancholy, teasing shifting to somberness, her brow crinkling slightly.

"_O-of course I missed you!_" He stammered out indignantly in a hushed voice, seeing her blink and slowly look up at him; he quickly added, "I-I mean, _Uncle_ missed you. Said it was good to see you here, in Ba Sing Se… Alive." His gaze softened out of reflex as he recalled the last time they'd talked this long, that cold night caught in the middle of a damn blizzard.

Mariko's cheeks warmed and it wasn't because of the tea; she dropped her gaze, sipping the drink. "I missed you, too. Uncle hasn't lost his touch…"

The front door of the shop being thrown open made both teens perk up. "I'm tired of waiting: these two men are **firebenders**!" Her stomach dropped to pool around her feet as she heard that familiar cocky voice now riddled with something she sensed to be paranoia, and frustration.

_Well damn_.

She glared at the bushy head of brown hair that belonged to that jerkoff vigilante and made to get up when his rough hand lashed out to curl his fingers around her wrist, his grip surprisingly gentle and firm. She looked up at his narrowed gold eyes and read the silent message that said '_wait'_; obeying reluctantly, she fixed her tightened stare on her old acquaintance, on the twin swords he bared, light winking off the curved blade edges.

"I know they're firebenders; I saw the old man heating his tea!" Jet declared emphatically, brown eyes glowering at the man in question, darting between him and the scarred boy that was said man's nephew.

One of the two guards seated at a nearby table (both, she realized, worked with the ferry, judging by their uniform) rationalized clearly, "He works in a tea shop."

Jet was deadset in proving his point, "**He's a firebender, I'm telling you**!"

The same ferry guard regarded him now with apprehension and irritation, "Drop your swords, boy, nice and easy." Both he and his coworker stood from their seats to converge on the irrational teenager.

"You'll have to defend yourself; everyone will know… _Go ahead_. Show them what you can do." Jet drawled, advancing on his uncle.

Mariko handed her sheathed katana to him wordlessly as he strode forward to meet his challenge.

"You want a show? **I'll** give you a show." Zuko spat venomously as he kicked the table she'd been sitting at towards him from the side, proving as a form of leverage as his adversary dug his blades into the tabletop, hopping up to attack him, aiming to break his foothold.

Jet shattered the table he'd used as a shield, knocking the prince back onto the floor so he landed lithely; he grunted as he bolted for him, curved blades clashing sharply with the curved edge of the borrowed katana held tight in Zuko's hands.

She watched their duel with bitter amusement, light winking off the clashed blades, shrill screeches echoing when the blades met viciously and broke apart only to reconnect; she had almost forgotten how good Zuko was with a blade. Of course he was better than her when wielding dao swords, but even so, his skill with a katana matched her own. She sipped her tea, grimacing to note that it had gotten cold, amber eyes lifting again as somewhere between the clashing blades and fluid movement of both boys, they had moved the fight past the front door of the tea shop and out into the middle of the street.

Tossing her cold tea out the window, Mariko slipped past the throng of people that had congregated to watch the duel to get to the front, hearing Uncle Iroh trying to call out to Jet, saying that he was confused.

_Damn right he is_. She scoffed. _I almost forgot how piss-poor of a fighter Jet is, especially with those swords; he had the trees for leverage back in that forest… here, he only has concrete and dumb luck_.

Jet's nimble leap back from narrowly avoiding a swing at his head from the prince jarred her from her thoughts, and her narrowed gaze settled on him as he cried, "You hear that? The Fire Nation is trying to silence me!" _Oh trust me, I'd gladly do it myself if you weren't so hell-bent on exposing Zuko_. "It'll never happen!" With a snarl of anger he swung forward legs-first from using the well as support, resuming the fight.

A particularly vicious swing from Jet sent his opponent backward, heels digging into the cobblestone ground.

_Now how did that chi-blocking go again?_

Zuko stiffened when movement stirred in the corner of his right eye; Jet gave a battle cry as he barreled forward, swords swinging.

Three jabs, two to the middle of his spine and the third to the back of his nape, a single jab to both shoulderblades, and a sharp kick from behind into his backside sent the vigilante down with a grunt of pain and anger escaping from between gritted teeth; his gold eyes sharpened in surprise.

Jet's brown eyes flew to the girl in maroon and black that stood to the side. "M-Mariko… _why?_" He bit out in a half-snarl.

"You screw with my friends, your ass is mine." Mariko stated with all the warmth of the coldest iceberg in her low voice, spitting at the ground next to his face. "_Pathetic_."

Zuko stared at her, the tomboy he had grown up with, the stonewall spitfire that saw him through the loss of his mother and his first Agni-Kai, and as he kept his eyes on her he now saw the admiral's daughter she had tried to keep covered for the past few years. He regarded her stony and stoic amber stare with a measure of respect.

"What's going on here?" Both firebenders jerked their gazes to register on two men that had been observing the scene; the girl's gaze tightened as she recognized the dark green color of their robes, the serious features on their stony faces.

_Dai Li_.

"This young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees!" The shopkeep, a short man with a black braid down his back and a thin moustache, informed, gesturing angrily to the paralyzed teenager on the ground.

The same outspoken ferry guard from before agreed grimly, "It's true, sir; we saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the _finest_ tea-maker in the city."

Zuko rolled his eyes when his uncle blushed bashfully; Mariko smiled softly at his receiving praise (from Earth Kingdom guards, no less; my how the tables have turned…).

Mariko stooped slightly to lift the boy by the back of his tunic, tossing him to the two Dai Li agents. "He's all yours, boys." She mused scathingly, shooting another scowl at the now-incarcerated teenager as one of the two agents bound his hands with earth-cuffs and the other hoisted him onto his feet a little.

"You don't understand: _they're Fire Nation!_ You have to believe me!" Jet cried out desperately as he was taken away, jerking his head to look from one agent to the other with wild brown eyes.

The crowd dispersed as soon as the cart the two men had put him in rolled away into the darkness of night, leaving the trio plus the two refugees' boss.

"Lee, you did well tonight; go back to the apartment and rest. Jun, see to it your cousin gets himself cleaned up." Uncle Iroh addressed the two teenagers, making both of them blink once.

_'Lee'?_

Zuko complied without a word, heading off in the direction of their shabby apartment complex; Mariko spared a glance at his uncle and noted the warm twinkle in his eye before she smiled and followed the prince.

Their complex reminded her of boxes stacked ontop of each other with small windows opening out to stare into the adjoining complex on either side, both, she noticed, were just like the one he and his uncle lived in.

He was quiet as he let her inside the apartment's small living room, a tiny kitchen near the windows, and two doors that must've led to the bedrooms, the third door showing an indoor bathroom that was open just a crack.

She blinked when he offered her katana back, smiling slightly and taking it from his hands, sheathing the sword with a quiet 'clink' when wood met steel, looking up at him and noting the few scratches and nicks here and there on his face, his hands; she frowned softly, exhaling and propping the sword against a nearby chair tucked into a desk, slipping into the bathroom to find the first aid.

Zuko made a face when she pulled the chair out for him to sit in; at seeing the knowing expression on her face, he exhaled and sat down, letting her tend to his cuts. "Since when do you know how to block someone's chi?" The first one to break the silence was him, and it threw her off for a moment.

Mariko paused in dabbing some antiseptic ointment on a narrow graze on his right cheekbone, shrugging and resuming her task. "Ty Lee used it against Katara and Sokka, the day of the ghost town incident, and I'd read about it back home. It's a cruel trick, but it works." She half-scoffed, smirking wryly, "I had to test it out at some point, didn't I?" She mused.

"You didn't need to use it on _him_; you didn't need to interfere." He pointed out, his words sounding more like a scolding.

She looked up at him from tying a strip of bandage around a mending cut on his right thumb's knuckle, quirking a brow in slight confusion. "Well I couldn't very well sit there and do nothing. Not when he was _threatening_ you and Uncle…"

"How did he know you? Don't tell me you had a _crush_ on him the last time you met." Zuko cut across, curiosity and anger mixing together and welling inside him, leveling a pointed glare down at his nurse.

Mariko glared back, her jaw setting, "No, like I would ever be interested in a pathetic jerk like him. Jet and I met a while back, after the incident with the pirates… He tried to hurt my friends, what else was I supposed to _do_, Zuko?" She rebutted impatiently.

'_Jet and I'_… he didn't know why, but the three words alone made his blood boil with anger towards that fool, and he was once again grateful he had been removed before things got ugly. His ears burned and tingled when she spoke his name; the sad grimace she had worn the last time they'd met flashed in his mind momentarily before vanishing.

"If you didn't have that sword… Why did you act so reckless and put your foot in?" Zuko demanded, left hand lashing out to grab her right wrist as she finished mending his minor scrapes, gold eyes blazing as they pinned her stubborn amber orbs.

Mariko blushed slightly and looked at the doorway to the bathroom, finding it suddenly interesting. "Because you _needed_ me, you idiot." She answered quietly, her voice slightly subdued, the blush returning.

His hand slackened its grip on her wrist as her words sank in; he let her retrieve her wrist as he cut his gaze away sharply. "Do you have _any_ idea how **_stupid_** that was? You could've gotten hurt, you idiot." He snapped in a slightly brittle tone.

She blinked once before her cheeks colored red and she rubbed her arm, looking down. "Like you're one to talk; you should be grateful I lent you my katana, you lunkhead." She bit out, regaining her fire again, amber eyes annoyed, before she stormed away to get a pot of tea going.

Zuko briefly marveled at how easily she resorted to performing a mundane task like tea-making, straightening from his chair to approach as she got the water boiling with a thin ember-chain underneath the stove grate. "You're as much of a lunkhead as I am, then; the Lower Ring isn't a place for someone who's hanging with the Avatar." He snorted.

Mariko whirled on him when he made that comment about her being in the Lower Ring, jabbing a finger into his chest as she bit out, "What _about_ the Lower Ring? You don't think I'm strong enough to make it here; is _that_ it?"

She had to let her hair grow out again, and it seemed wilder now than it did that night in the blizzard… "Not _alone_, no. In case you've forgotten, _firebenders_ like you and me would be torn to shreds in the street if anyone in Ba Sing Se knew we weren't just refugees. You wouldn't last long!" He snarled lowly, perking up when she grabbed the front of his tunic in a hard fist, bringing his face closer to hers.

"I am **_not_** weak. I can take care of myself, as I've done for the last three years, and don't you _dare_ think me less than what I am, Zuko." She purred venomously, amber eyes like jagged daggers stabbing into his equally-livid gold stare.

Three years apart, in solitude and pain, made him realize that she was exceptionally beautiful when she was riled.

Hands lowering to her ribs, the prince crushed her lips in a hard kiss, hearing a muffled gasp come from the spitfire girl.

She momentarily froze in his grasp before the sensation of his lips roving over hers demanding entrance sent her on the offense, and she was kissing back defiantly, stubbornly, fingers snaking up his neck and cheekbones to let her fingers weave in the ruffled brown hair on his head, coiling and tugging to somehow get him to cave.

But no, Zuko was stronger than her; he'd always been like that, for as long as she could remember.

He growled and held her tightly, feeling brief stinging sensations when her fingers tugged on his hair, and that set him on an even more stubborn need to make her crumble.

The distant sound of the front door opening made both teenagers scramble away from each other, both panting heavily, as flush-faced and defiant as ever, amber and gold clashing again.

"Was I interrupting something?" Uncle Iroh asked carefully as he left the doorway to approach the two teenagers.

Mariko smiled shyly as her cheeks burned scarlet and she tucked a few loosened strands of hair behind her right ear. "N-no, Uncle." She answered quickly.

Zuko felt a small smile curve his lips at seeing her remain just as flushed about their sudden kiss as he probably looked, shuffling away to fix the tea. "Thank you again, for earlier, Mariko." He ignored the annoyed look she shot in his direction, a cheeky light dancing in his gaze locked with hers, before his smile turned appreciative.

"Don't mention it. Um, I'd better get going; my friends are probably wondering where I am." Mariko shrugged her katana onto her shoulder and bowed slightly to her elder before shuffling to the door.

"Mariko, would it inconvenience you to come by tomorrow, as well? To check on Zuko's injuries, that is." Iroh asked sweetly, hearing his nephew almost break one of the tea cups behind, seeing her freeze with her hand hovering over the doorknob.

She looked at the blushing prince and smiled fondly despite the surprise and subtle suspicion regarding his request, nodding. "It'd be no trouble at all. Good night, Uncle; sleep well, Zu." She smiled warmly at his uncle before opening the door and slipping out into the darkness, closing it behind her leave.

"_What was that for!?_" He seethed, glaring daggers at his uncle, pouring him a cup of tea and placing it with some force onto the small dining table.

His uncle merely smiled innocently, sipping his tea with a sigh. "Ginseng, my favorite! And she made it _just_ right, too… Mariko is a keeper, my nephew."

He pretended both his cheeks and ears didn't burn, storming out of the living room to his bedroom, a loud 'slam' echoing in the tiny apartment when the door closed shut behind him.

* * *

A/N: _and yes, i love heckling Zuko.. can you tell? /gets bricked also, regarding Mariko using chi-blocking, it was just something i wanted to test out. some __**feedback**__ on this would be __**WELL **__**LOVED**__~ /hinthintwinkwink_


	16. Fall to Pieces (Awkward Turtle-Ducks)

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Fall to Pieces [Awkward Turtle-Ducks]**_

* * *

Finding her way back to the apartment wasn't too hard, just as it wasn't hard to find the tea shop the day prior. So she sighed as she gathered her wits infront of their apartment door, gripping the strap for her scabbard absently out of habit.

A knock. "Uncle, it's me." No answer.

Frowning slightly, she knocked again and tried the same greeting, only to be met with silence. The firebender tried the handle and found that it was unlocked; she made a face, counting from three to one before opening the door and poking her head in to see the living room/ kitchen was empty of life.

She scowled at the lack of occupancy, stepping into the apartment and closing the door quietly behind her entrance, keeping a hand on the hilt of her sword out of reflex, fighting the swell of paranoid thoughts that swirled in her head like thick fog, blinking as she passed the teapot, noting the folded paper tagged to the lid.

"_'Mariko, if you're reading this, it's our day off. Went out to run errands, Zuko is at home. PS: be good. Love, Uncle_.'" Crafty old sod; she ignored the slight blush threatening to stain her cheekbones at the four little words that made her think of that confounded kiss the night Jet had been arrested.

'_Zuko is at home'_… She exhaled quietly and shrugged her katana off her shoulder, propping it against the small dining table, feeling her palms become clammy as she made the trek across the room to check on the prince, her feet bringing her to the first bedroom door near the desk and chair.

_Get ahold of yourself, damn it. This is Zuko you're getting worked up for: Zuko your best friend, the turtle-duck with two left feet around girls_.

Mariko inhaled deeply and gingerly fingered the handle of the door, sliding it open as quiet as possible, noting through the thin crack the door left that the room was dark, and as she slid it open more, she now saw a lump underneath the blankets of the futon on the floor near the back wall.

She inwardly relaxed at seeing he was there after all; closing the door back to the slim crack, she smiled impishly despite the churning feelings in the pit of her gut regarding him and that kiss, exhaling softly.

The door was thrown open with a loud 'clack' as the sliding door slightly bounced from the impact as she said at the top of her voice, "**_RISE AND SHINE, PRINCELING_**_!_"

Her gesture got just the right reaction: a startled yelp came from the lump under the blankets and said lump almost jumped a foot in the air, falling unceremoniously onto the futon with the pillow and blankets, both objects dropping to make him look like a real goof.

"W-what in the… **_MARIKO_**_!_" The prince bellowed, all the while not noticing she had busted out laughing until he yanked the blankets and pillow off his head, a vein pulsing dangerously on his right brow as he now saw she had fallen to the floor laughing her ass off. "**Damn it, what the hell was that for**!?" He yelled, glaring heatedly at her as she slowly regained her bearings.

Mariko giggled and when she saw his flush-faced and the goofy way his hair looked, she wheezed on another laugh, clutching her ribs. "G-good morning to you too, Zu!" She chortled.

Zuko growled and leveled her one of his deadliest glares, waiting until she sat up in a more lucid manner and got out of bed, glaring still at the complacent girl. "Are you done?" He bit out.

"For now." She grinned and wiped the stray tears of mirth from her eyes, chuckling. "Come on, Zu, that was hilarious, and I haven't had a good laugh in ages! Lighten up." She jibed gently, standing as well and placing a hand on her hip, the amusement still present in her eyes.

"Like hell… Where's Uncle? I thought he was here." He snuffed, looking past her at the rest of the tiny apartment's living room.

"He left a note." She handed him the note she'd picked from the teapot, letting him snatch it and read what his uncle had said.

Zuko grumbled an oath at his uncle's matchmaking craft, refolding the paper and pinching the bridge of his nose, exhaling steadily. "He's trying to kill me…"

"Mm dunno, he'd prolly be nice enough to let me do the honors if you ever got me pissed." Mariko pondered, tapping her chin with a finger innocently.

The vein started pulsing once more, "Pretty sure the papercuts you tended to the other night are all healed up, so I don't need your nursing habits again." He informed, seeing her blink once.

She pouted and rolled her eyes. "So you don't wanna hang out, or do anything?" She asked, giving him the puppy-dog eyes.

Zuko snorted at her attempt to be cute, sighing. "I'm sure your friends are missing you, so it'd be pointless to stick around if there's no need…" _Even though having you around would be nice_, the nagging voice in the back of his head added pointedly.

"Well what if I said I wanted to stick around for the day?" Mariko countered, a stubborn light replacing the amusement, and he could swear she was blushing too.

He scoffed this time, rubbing his neck, "You want to hang around the Lower Ring with me." Sure his stint job gave him a paycheck, but to spend it on her? Hm.

"If you'll have me." She answered with a slight shrug, ignoring the blush that started to creep onto her cheeks at the double-entendre of the four tiny words.

Tiny words seemed to have a large impact even if they didn't mean to.

Zuko blinked owlishly once and he had to steer his mind as far from the romantic feel her words spoken with confidence brought out, dragging himself into a platonic sense. "O…okay. Sure. Just give me a sec," he accepted, slipping past her –making sure not to touch her—to make a beeline for the bathroom to wash up.

Mariko slid the door closed to his room and her back sank against it, a shaky sigh escaping when he closed the door to the bathroom. "Tui and La I'm an idiot." What was up with her? She usually pegged herself to be calm, collected, confident, clever… But when she was around him after so long of separation, and the sarcasm and playfulness was stripped away from under her feet…

_Damn it, why am I being awkward with __**Zuko**__?_

::::::::dOb::::::::

She was quiet and fidgety.

The fact that he knew she was a far cry from such a clammed-up turtle-duck on a regular basis plus it was _her_ bright idea to drag him out of the apartment (only five or so hours ago, now) irritated him.

It was while they passed through another block –they'd covered at least several blocks by now, passing beyond the main street of the maze-like Lower Ring—that he finally broke the awkward silence between them with an awkward cough and a stuffing of his hands into the pockets of his pants. "You're being quiet for once."

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah… Sorry." She mumbled, kicking a stray pebble out of her path.

"Well that's a miracle; normally I can't get you to shut up…" At seeing her cheeks color, he prodded gently, taking a more careful approach. "Are you okay?" This wasn't like her, and it was starting to leave him just the slightest bit unnerved.

Mariko the confident and clever spitfire tomboy was now a shy turtle-duck.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay!" She cocked her head a smidge up at him, a defiant scowl forming. "Don't worry over me; I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She added stubbornly.

_There you are_.

"Pff, obviously so, otherwise you wouldn't be carrying such a dangerous object." He jibed, elbowing her side, indicating the black scabbard sheathing her katana.

Confidence returning at seeing he was trying to be light, she huffed and slugged his shoulder affectionately. "Damn right." She blushed when he caught her retreating hand, having caught sight of her concealed dagger tucked into her wrist guard.

"No wonder you seemed stronger when we met the other day. Carrying a knife set on hand…" He smirked playfully, releasing her hand after lifting the dagger from the confines of where she had it, examining the flat blade only four or five inches long, the black leather on the handle. "Should I be concerned that you've turned into such a badass?" He pondered.

She puffed her cheeks out when he picked the knife from her wrist guard, crossing her arms over her chest and snorting in an unladylike way that earned an amused twinkle to appear in his eyes. "Well I can't showcase my bending so damn flippantly, now can I? That's what daggers are for." She defended rationally, chin tilting up in confidence that had now returned full-force.

Zuko tossed it up and down in the air, catching it between the index and middle fingers of his right hand with ease. He caught the sharp look she sent his way and smirked again, coyly. "You're not the only one skilled with a blade." He reminded, handing the dagger back to its owner.

"Don't remind me…" Mariko groused, lips pursed, finishing tucking the blade back in place and crossing her arms, looking away.

"Sounds like someone's _jealous_." He hummed, rolling his eyes when she grumbled and stomped ahead of him down the street, following leisurely until he sidled to her right side again.

She snorted again, "Sounds like _someone's_ gonna get his ass handed to him." Of course the 'no firebending' was obviously still in play…

"Sore loser," said the prince.

A reproachful punch to his left arm, "Bite me."

"Bratzilla."

"Lunkhead."

"Tomboy."

"Princeling."

At seeing the slightest hint that his ill-favored nickname was thrown into the air, she snorted, looking away to cover her mouth daintily and giggle.

Zuko blinked once at seeing he had gotten her to laugh, his face softening as he smiled a small smile at hearing a giggle from his friend, arms folding behind his head leisurely. "We okay?" He asked quietly, referring to her earlier awkwardness after basically busting into his apartment to kidnap him for a day out.

Mariko looked at him in mild confusion before her own face softened, cheeks coloring a smidge, and she nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

"You're insane."

"You're being a pussy."

He scowled up at her from his place rooted on the alley floor, having a distinct feeling of déjà vu; he could swear this was a scene out of their shared childhood… "If you fall, it's not my fault_." Like you will, with those cat reflexes_, he inwardly added with a snort.

She rolled her eyes and extended her hand out, starting to find his stick-in-the-mud sense of fun just the slightest bit annoying. "Do you trust me?" She asked bluntly, amber holding gold.

Zuko hesitated at hearing her ask such a thing, recalling the last few times they'd run into each other, always choosing them over him, always choosing duty over friends… He wanted to say no, but his mouth was saying otherwise. "Yes." He took her hand.

Mariko helped him hoist his body over the ledge, releasing his hand as he scrambled onto the rooftop and letting him regain his bearings; she straightened to stare out at the scene before her, smiling a little. "Zuko, look." She urged.

He shook his head and stood to his feet next to her, following her gaze and his own widened a little as he laid eyes on the vast expanse of buildings before him.

Rows upon rows of forest green tiled rooftops (much like the one she had snuck them onto) stretched so far as to the Outer Wall, the distant mountain range of the Serpent's Pass a brown eyesore on the horizon; he finally let his eyes rest on the twilight giving way to dusk, the deepest of violets layering to the darkest blues, lighter blues layering to the lavenders, lavenders layering to the most pastel of pink that touched the horizon line.

_Beautiful_.

Mariko closed her eyes when a stray spring breeze stole past them, playing with loose strands of her messy ponytail, smiling fondly at the taste of freedom the wind carried with it.

Zuko felt envious of her for managing to feel so free, but at the same time envy evaporated to be replaced with fondness for his companion.

She opened her eyes partly, lowering her head from having tilted it up momentarily, looking up at him with innocent amber eyes, blushing a little when recognizing he had been staring at her; she dropped her gaze shyly, coughing slightly and looking away, the blush darkening. "Sorry that I, um, dragged you out here… I just… It's been a long time, y'know, since we got to talk and act stupid, again, y'know…" She rambled, distinctly feeling her cheeks blaze as if her inner fire had risen to settle in her now-burning cheeks.

"Mari." He said patiently, perking her ears and she looked up at him from under her brow. "It _has_ been a long time since we got to hang out. But I'm glad you dragged me out on the town; today was actually fun." He brushed some pesky locks behind her left ear gingerly, seeing her blink again, innocence returning. "Come on, it's getting late." He urged, mentally kicking himself for wanting to usher her back to his apartment like a coward.

She slightly deflated, even as the girly part of her that was often dormant had high hopes regarding a kiss from him, but the rational part of her accepted it without complaint. "'Kay."

After climbing down from their vantage spot, the two teenagers returned to his apartment complex in companionable silence, neither wanting to break it or cause some sort of havoc that would make a good day end bitterly.

So he surprised her when he tugged on her elbow to stop her short of several feet away from the door of the complex's first floor, earning a confused look from his old friend.

"Zuko, what're you…" She didn't get to finish her question due to his lips covering hers in a chaste kiss.

He smiled when she pressed her lips to his to reciprocate warmly, his hands drifting to her waist and holding her in place, feeling her smile against his lips in acceptance towards where his hands were.

Zuko pulled back to distinctly hear her make a noise in the back of her throat akin to a sound of remorse, gold holding amber; he pressed his forehead to hers, seeing her blush again, smiling fondly at the blush. "I had fun today." He mused.

Mariko absently fiddled with the ruffled hair at the back of his neck, her arms squeezing a little, her cheeks slightly warm even though she felt proud and happy at the same time regarding his comment. "I'm glad. I missed it, too, y'know, acting stupid and talking… like before." At seeing the fond light falter a smidge when she touched on those old scars, she embraced him tightly, burying her cheek into his shoulder.

Zuko closed his eyes and dug his fingers into her back; she didn't mean to remind him… He didn't know how he knew, but he knew she wouldn't hurt him intentionally. That was good enough for now. "I missed it too."

Both old friends said their goodbyes with a reluctant withdrawal from the embrace that lasted long enough for one to think they were closer than their current standing put them at, the prince turning to retreat to his small apartment and the admiral's daughter turning to make her way back to the Upper Ring.

But they _did_ get closer today, didn't they?

* * *

A/N: _okay, you lot __KNEW__ this was coming. lol sorry if the chap seems short, i didn't intend for it to be like that. d: but hey! relationship progress~ i'm very satisfied with this chapter, dunno about you.. especially so because it's strictly MariZu. and yes, it takes place during the '__**Tales of Ba Sing Se**__' ep._

*_also: **1k views?** **AWESOME**~_  
_** also: "**Fall to Pieces**" - **Avril** **Lavigne** (**MariZu's theme no. 01**)_

_preview of next chap:_  
_'__**Dread did a funny thing to your senses. It could either numb them to the point where you don't see your enemy coming... Or it could heighten them so high, you'd be sensitive for weeks. Today... it was the latter**__.'_


	17. Truthfully Ignorant

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

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_**Truthfully Ignorant**_

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A thoughtful frown formed on her face as she lifted one of the leaflets he had sketched on, tilting it to one side and then the other. "Is this supposed to be Appa, or a giant bug…?"

He snatched the paper back, pouting. "It's supposed to be Appa! Can't you tell by the horns on his head, and the arrow on his back?"

"Of _course_ it's Appa; geez, Sword Girl, can't you _tell?_" Toph chimed from lounging near them.

"Thank you, T… You're a mean little person." Sokka scowled annoyedly at the younger girl.

Mariko snickered, nudging her friend with a toe, who in turn smirked impishly.

"We found a printer for our posters!" Katara declared as she and Aang returned from town, both teenagers beaming as the waterbender lifted up a detailed illustration of their missing bison.

"Wow, that's really good. We'll definitely get the word out better with these," Mariko beamed.

"Rub it in, why don't you…? And I thought I was in charge of the 'Appa Wanted' posters! I've been working on my Appa." Sokka barked, showing off the illustration previously critiqued by the firebender, which was an eight-shaped version of the bison with a poofy bunny-tail and a long arrow running from the drawing's backside to the top of his head, where two curved horns projected, and three bug-legs protruded from both sides of his fat abdomen.

All in all, a crude drawing.

Katara snorted and covered her mouth to hide a giggle as Aang chided, "Sokka, the arrow's supposed to go on Appa's head!"

Mariko rolled her eyes when both younger teenagers critiqued his drawing (albeit harsher than she had), the argument ending with the ridiculed artist (Sokka) ripping up the questionable image in frustration. "An artist's work is seldom appreciated until the artist is dead." She mused to Toph, who in turn scoffed.

"C'mon, let's get busy!" Aang exclaimed excitedly, digging his hands into his bag and holding out two handfuls of printed leaflets.

::::::::dOb::::::::

It had only been a few hours since the leaflets had been dropped off (courtesy of Aang), and said bison owner seemed to be antsy.

"Aang, it's only been a few hours," Mariko offered patiently from observing the card game between the siblings, glancing over at the boy who had plonked down on the opposite side of the table with his head in his arms.

Katara chimed, "It's only been a day; just be patient."

A polite knock sounded not long after she told him to wait, and the boy zipped up to answer it with a cheery, "Wow, you're right; patience sure pays off!"

The bright smile on his face dropped swiftly when he was soon face-to-face with the original Joo Dee (from what Katara had told her of the night of the King's party, the Dai Li had replaced the original Joo Dee with a different one with shorter hair). "Joo Dee?" Aang blinked. Said woman invited herself into the common area with a sweet reply, "Hello Aang, and Katara, and Sokka, and Mariko and Toph."

"What happened to you; did the Dai Li throw you in jail?" Sokka was the first to ask, regarding her with caution.

Joo Dee scoffed slightly, "What, jail? Of course not!" She dismissed the ludicrous accusation with a hand, "the Dai Li are the protectors of our cultural heritage." _Riiight, and I'm a hog-monkey actress_.

"But you disappeared at the Earth King's party," Toph pointed out.

"Oh, I simply took a short vacation to Lake Laogai, out in the country. It was quite relaxing," Joo Dee informed brightly despite the five sets of raised eyebrows.

Mariko discreetly nudged the waterbender's ribs as she made to say something, speaking for her with a stoic expression, keeping a brow arched, "Sounds replenishing. So, what brings you to our humble abode?" She drawled with heavy sarcasm on the last two words.

If she heard the sarcasm and clear distaste for her lying to them straight-out, it didn't derail the woman as she pulled a wanted leaflet from her sleeve, the depiction of Appa on the paper spoke volumes. "Dropping flyers and putting up posters isn't permitted within the city. Not without proper clearance." Joo Dee answered.

"We can't wait around to get permission for everything," Sokka protested, trying to bring up the topic of their lost bison again.

But Joo Dee was resilient, for once dropping her mechanical smile, and the firebender was glad for the sudden change (momentarily). "You are absolutely forbidden by the rules of the city to continue putting up posters." Joo Dee said, words meant as a threat, but her infernal smile's comeback threw anyone that didn't pay close enough attention off completely.

"_We don't care about the rules and we're __**not **__asking permission! We're finding Appa on our own and __**you **__should just stay out of our way!_" Aang exploded angrily, his face turning tomato red and he puffed up to at least twice his size as his loud outburst backed the cowed Joo Dee into returning to the doorstep, and he slammed the door shut on her face.

"That might come back to bite us in the ass." Mariko commented dryly after clapping at his performance, making a mental note to not ever piss off the young airbender for as long as she lived.

Aang leveled a stony look at the door as he returned to normal, "I don't care: from now on, we do whatever it takes to find Appa." He stated firmly.

"Yeah, let's break some rules!" Toph cheered, throwing her arms up in the air happily before sliding both left arm and leg out swiftly to shatter the front-left corner of the house, a cloud of dust flying from the blast.

"**Toph**!" Mariko and Katara barked reproachfully in unison.

Toph smiled sheepishly, rubbing her neck, "Hee."

* * *

"So, what all did you do the other day?"

"Which day?"

"Toph and I went out to a spa and when I went to get you to ask if you wanted to come, you had already left… Sokka said something about you having something to do?"

"Oh, that day! I just went to go explore more around the Lower Ring to see if anyone had news about a missing bison. No luck, though."

Her blue eyes rested on the older girl whose back was turned as she was pasting a poster on the side wall of an alley opening, brow furrowing. "You looked high and low, then." If she spent most of the day out on the town.

"Ah-huh, top to bottom. I just heard that everyone keeps mum about things around the Lower Ring because they're afraid they'll disappear in the middle of the night… Y'know, Dai Li." She answered absently, turning to her when she finished putting up the poster, dusting her hands off.

She nodded, finishing up with her own poster. "Sounds about right; the Dai Li issue still throws me off, but since they're labeled as 'the protectors of our cultural heritage', then they really are double-minded…"

"Katara, Mariko?" Both girls froze at hearing that cocky voice, turning to see his familiar head of bushy brown hair striding out from the shadow of another alley, his lazy smirk plastered to his lips. "I think I can help you."

A growled expletive escaped the latter's mouth as the former sprang into action and summoned twin wings of water from the nearby creek to send them barreling straight for the surprised vigilante.

"W-wait, Katara, I've changed!" Jet cried before the torrent of water threw him into the alley he was standing nearby.

Katara was unrelenting, skidding into the alley and summoning water from one of the puddles her attack had left, "Tell that to some other girl, Jet!" She snarled, icicle-daggers screaming at him, being deflected by his swords.

Mariko bolted forward to deliver a sharp kick to his belly, knocking him into the wall behind him with a muffled 'oof'; her two daggers were thrown to pin him by his elbows as her katana was at his throat in less than seconds, sunlight winking off the blade. "Move one muscle and you die where you stand." She threatened lowly, amber eyes mutinous.

"I don't wanna fight you, Mariko; I'm here to help!" Jet protested, glaring into her narrowed gaze.

Katara was right there to counter, "Oh yeah?" She spat bitterly.

Jet leveled both girls a hard glare before his wrists twitched and he dropped his curved swords, briefly surprising the two benders.

The firebender lowered her katana reluctantly and backed away, jaw set; he looked at her and smirked in something she pegged to be triumph, reaching into his pocket for something.

The waterbender grunted and sent six thick ice-daggers at him as the firebender growled and lifted her sword to his neck sharply.

"Girls, what is it?" Sokka's voice sounded from behind as he, Toph and Aang rushed into the alley.

Katara straightened as Mariko bit out, "Jet's back."

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Whaletail Island? It's physically impossible to get an animal as big as Appa that far out in such short time, especially that close to the South Pole." Mariko rationalized as they filed out of the site of the supposed lead, arms folded as she walked as far from Jet as possible, sticking between Toph and Aang.

Katara once again picked, "I _knew_ it was a lie!" She rounded on the unwanted sixth member of their pack.

Jet scowled at her, "Why can't you trust me?"

"She's not the only one…" Mariko muttered, even though one small part of her was glad to see that the waterbender, who had once had a huge crush on him, was now not persuaded by his killer smile and lies anymore.

"Kat I understand because I get the vibe he used to be like her boyfriend, but why you?" Toph muttered, nudging her.

"He attacked my friend a week or so ago." She answered in a murmur, a biting edge to her tone that the younger girl caught wind of.

She nodded sagely. "Ah."

"We can take the train out to the wall, but after that we're gonna have to walk." Sokka theorized in the lead, seeming to bypass what the firebender noted moments ago.

"Don't worry, on the way back we'll be flying." Aang chirped brightly if to alleviate the damper mood settled on their group.

Toph grinned giddily, "We're finally leaving Ba Sing Se… worst city ever!" She cheered, throwing her arms up in the air again. Mariko smiled wanly, thinking of Zuko and Uncle Iroh, traipsing ahead of her, "…Yeah, worst city in the world." _The only city I got my first kiss in_.

"Jet!" A familiar scratchy voice exclaimed from behind, making the group turn as five out of the six teens recognized a short skinny girl to be Smellerbee and a lanky pale-faced boy to be Longshot, both ex-Freedom Fighters looking at them in surprise.

Katara rounded on said boy, "I thought you said you didn't have your gang anymore!"

"I didn't!" Jet protested before Smellerbee threw her arms around him, surprising her leader.

"We were so worried; how'd you get away from the Dai Li?" asked Smellerbee, looking at him in confusion.

"_'The Dai Li'!?_" Katara blanched; Mariko's face darkened at the memory.

"I don't know what she's talking about!" Jet barked, pulling away.

"He got arrested by the Dai Li a couple weeks ago; we saw them drag him away." Smellerbee clarified, a slightly wounded look crossing her face before it faded swiftly.

"Why would I be arrested? I've been living peacefully in the city." Jet demanded, confusion and rising irritation showing in his tanned face.

Toph crouched to place a hand palm-flat to the cobblestone ground, deducing, "This doesn't make any sense; they're _both_ telling the truth."

Mariko regarded the boy with a grim look, "No, Jet **thinks** he's telling the truth. Smellerbee's right." She informed quietly.

"Mariko's right; Jet's been **brainwashed**!" Sokka clarified, pointing a finger at the confused boy.

"T-that's crazy; it can't be!" Jet exclaimed, trying to shrug it off, but for the grim looks on the group's faces, he started to back up, brown eyes growing fearful.

* * *

Dread did a funny thing to your senses. It could either numb them to the point where you don't see your enemy coming… or it could heighten them so high, you'd be sensitive for weeks.

Today… it was the latter.

After figuring it was Lake Laogai where Appa had been stowed away, the group of eight –the Team Avatar (dubbed by Sokka) plus the trio of Freedom Fighters—snuck their way into the catacombs highlighted with green lanterns held on the high walls that gave off an eerie glow as they passed through one corridor after another. Following Jet's hunch regarding one particularly cavernous room up ahead that could house a beast as large as Appa, the group continued in that direction, trying to be as discreet as possible. And praying to God that they weren't followed or spotted.

Once reaching said room, they opened the door and slipped inside, keeping on their toes and with their weapons on hand. By this point the firebender's senses were on red alert, each step she took further heightening the dread and adrenaline slowly pumping into her veins.

_Spirits please let Appa be here… This place is giving me the creeps_.

The hollow sound of the stone door behind them slamming shut rang out deafeningly, the eerie green lights springing to life around the group; her blood ran cold when she laid eyes on the ones who had waited for them to enter the spacious room.

Well over several Dai Li agents hung from the stalactites overhead, and as the lights came on near the back area of the cavernous room, several more stood behind a serious looking man with a thin moustache and black braid, his dark green garb matching that of the Dai Li agents.

_This_ was Long Feng?

Mariko fought a shiver at noting he almost resembled her father, save that he was an earthbender and the King's Advisor, not a firebender and a twenty-year-tenure admiral serving under Fire Lord Ozai.

But still… Long Feng looked just as serious as her father did.

"You have made yourselves enemies of the state… Take them into custody." Long Feng stated lowly, gesturing his men converge on the teenagers preparing for a fight.

At least seven or nine Dai Li dropped to land nimbly in a circle surrounding the group, two springing into action, sending twin sets of earth-cuffs at the front of the group, their attempt failing when Toph countered and shattered the cuffs, summoning twin pillars to jet up from the ground and break their footing had the twins not hopped off to regroup.

Jet undermined the footing of one agent, and would've gotten his partner had twin daggers not been thrown in his direction and pinning the man to the far wall, his brown eyes lifting to meet the firebender's amber; both shared a miniscule nod of respect before the girl dashed forward to help take down the rest.

Mariko flicked her wrist and cracked her flame-whip to life, punting one agent away from striking at Aang's blind side, feeling like she was being watched; she jerked her stare in the direction of Long Feng and narrowed her eyes, bolting for him at top speed, the whip slithering and dancing alongside, before a rift of rock blocked her path and a set of earth-cuffs was sent streaking at where she was. She growled in frustration and thrust her right fist into the air at the oncoming cuffs, a blast of fire shattering them and streaking up to hit her opponent in the face hard, sending him flying backward.

Another Dai Li agent almost confiscated Toph from behind before both Jet and Longshot intercepted; a jet of flames from her left hand sent the agent flying to crash back-first into the far wall.

"Long Feng's escaping!" Aang exclaimed, and he and Jet bolted after the fleeing earthbender.

Twin agents made to intercept again before a rift of rock barred their way, a wide flamethrower screaming at them and sending them flying back.

Toph smirked wryly at sensing the searing heat from her friend's fireblast, nudging her. "So, how's the old man?" She wondered.

"He's doing fine, actually." Mariko chuckled, nudging back, noting the siblings had the remainder under control, with some help from Longshot and Smellerbee; she broke away to retrieve her daggers, tucking them back in place.

"I guess the Dai Li don't take too easily to firebending." Sokka commented once the agents had fled back into the shadows like the corrupted slime they were, looking at her pointedly.

Mariko glanced at the two slightly weary, slightly angered faces of Longshot and Smellerbee and she smiled sheepishly. "Guess I forgot to mention that, then… Sorry. At least noone died! That's something." She added lightly if only to keep from getting the stink eye much longer.

"I think Aang and Jet went down this way," Toph saved her from further interrogation, hurrying off down a stone entryway and leaving the others to follow, Katara and Mariko tailing her shortly.

It took some force, but they got into the large room at last, and her stomach knotted as they rushed in to see Aang kneeled by a felled Jet's side.

Katara shoved past her to drop to her knees at his other side, and she flinched slightly at the horrified look that crossed her face; the healing water glowed blue on her hands as she hovered them over his chest. It was several agonizingly-long seconds later that she looked up at them with a stricken expression on her brow, "This isn't good."

"You guys go find Appa; we'll take care of Jet." Smellerbee assured, a hoarseness rising into her scratchy voice.

Mariko looked away and bit on her lower lip, wanting to apologize to him for that brawl in the street a week ago, to say something… but no.  
Her world, one side tied to Zuko, the other side tied to the friends she'd made, should stay the way it was: separate.

It would crumble if they were to ever collide.

::::::::dOb::::::::

A breath of fresh air made its way into her nostrils, and she was grateful.

Aang's jerked stare past his shoulder at their wake earned a look from her before she followed his gaze and swore at seeing seven green-clad agents sprinting on them, and gaining.

"Go, I'll handle them!" Mariko snapped, skidding to a halt to round on the agents and send a wide cartwheel of fire screaming at them, breaking their footing; the sound of rocks breaking and forming shape sounded from the cliffside to her left, and five more agents were skiing down at her from the ledge above. She quickly formed a flame-shield to prevent from being cuffed, grunting and twisting on her heel to send a wide fire-spin at the offenders, chucking some of them into the river and others to crash into the cliffside. She wasted no second in bolting headlong after her friends, perking up as the ground shifted beneath her and a pillar jetted up to seize her right foot; twirling around, she delivered a vicious blast of flames at the still-standing agent, doing a small somersault to hit the ground running, soon catching up to her friends.

Mariko skidded to a halt just short of running into Katara and perked up to see Long Feng plus five or so agents flanking him, lifting up a high wall with the earthbenders astride, and another wall rose up behind them by the use of the recovered agents, caging them in.

Aang blinked when Momo began chittering excitedly as he hopped onto his shoulder. "What is it, Momo?" The lemur flew high up and twirled once higher into the air before a large silhouette came into view, diving down onto the scene.

"**APPA**!" Aang cried.

In one fell swoop, the bison batter-rammed both walls, sending the agents flying into the water like skipped rocks, and both Aang and Toph sent the remaining five (who were awaiting the moment to descend from the cliffside; crafty bastards…) flying into the river.

Movement came into view as Long Feng pulled himself out of the ruined wall just as Appa touched ground right infront of him. "I can handle you by myself!" Long Feng snarled as he made to earthbend against a highly-irate bison, only to have his extended leg be snagged in said beast's teeth and then sent skipping across the riverfront by a sharp fling from Appa.

Appa spat out his slipper just before the five teenagers launched themselves at him from the side as he flopped down onto the ground, happy cheers going all around at finally having him back.

The group was back together again.

* * *

A/N: _not much to put, but the big finale of Book II is coming up~ stay tuned! _

_preview of the next chap:_  
_'__**Three years alone apparently garnered a silver tongue**__.'_


	18. Parting of Ways Before the End

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Parting of Ways Before the End**_

* * *

She stared out at the lakefront; even though they were a solid group again with Appa back, she still couldn't shake the feeling that something was still amiss, that they'd miscalculated somewhere along the way… Her brow furrowed into a thoughtful frown.

"…Sokka, Long Feng has control over the city; his conspiracy with the Dai Li is too powerful. I think we should just keep flying and leave this horrible place behind us." Katara was saying, stirring her from her broodings.

Toph chimed from her spot plonked onto the floor of the small island they were currently occupying, "I'm with Sweetness. I've seen enough of Ba Sing Se… and I can't even _see!_"

"No, Sokka's right." Mariko countered, deadpanning at the balking stares from her friends, folding her arms at her chest as she faced them from having been staring at the lake surrounding their island. "Wow _that_ sounded weird… But anyway. If we can somehow sway the Earth King to give us support for the upcoming eclipse, then it'll make things that much easier for us to win this war." Of course this would be the second time that she would be betraying her own people, but if it meant saving the world, then it was worth it. "Still, Long Feng needs to be stopped, before his conspiracy gets Ba Sing Se sacked and burned to the ground."

Sokka was the first to break from the shock plus mulling over what she stated, a smooth grin forming on his face, "Y'know, I can almost forgive that snarky comment about swallowing your pride… Ow!" He winced when she kicked his shin with little effort, hobbling on his uninjured leg and rubbing his bruised kneecap.

"That was just because you're being an asshat about bringing up a valid point, meathead." Mariko rolled her eyes, an amused smirk present when he sent her a hurt look.

"I think Hell just froze over…" Toph smirked cheekily.

"It's the whole reason we came, aside from getting Appa back, anyway; so we have to try!" Aang chirped from sidling to Sokka's side once the boy had regained his balance.

Katara pondered, rubbing her chin, and then complied slowly, "Well, I guess if the Earth King knew the truth… things could change."

"I don't trust the new-positive-Sokka… Long Feng brainwashed you, didn't he!?" Toph hopped up and pointed a finger in said boy's direction. Mariko rolled her eyes again and nudged her with a chuckle. "That's a great question, actually…"

Aang perked up and hurried to the ridge of the island, the trio following –Katara, Sokka, and Mariko—to peer out at the lakefront and see three ships sailing the perimeter; the firebender grumbled out an oath.

"That's probably the Dai Li searching for us; so?" Sokka wondered, looking at his sister.

Katara hesitated before looking at him determinedly, "Let's fly."

* * *

Dread and adrenaline seemed to be switching places for the day.

As soon as Appa touched down the quartet scrambled off –relieved to not be airborne; no saddle made things very nauseous—and they kept to Aang's tail closely, Mariko and Toph on the right, Sokka and Katara on the left, with Appa at his back, the group storming the palace, keeping on their toes regarding the King's Guard.

As they crossed through the long walkway in the center of the courtyard connecting to the center building that obviously housed the Earth King, twin rows of earthbenders stood at the ready and soon sprang into action, sending cubed boulders jetting at the group from either side.

Aang and Toph took out the majority, leaving Katara, Sokka, and Mariko to dish out a counter-offense against the guards, slaps of water and blasts of fire flying to deflect the oncoming projectiles and pave their way.

"Sorry!" Katara yelped when she slapped away one row of guards, wincing at doing the same to another, albeit sharper than before.

Mariko huffed, resorting to her fire-whip this time, smacking the last two rows away with ease, "They're an obstacle; obstacles only serve to get in the way, Kat."

As another batch came jetting forward from the front of the palace, Toph sprang into action, jerking her left leg plus arms inward to lash out and force the limestone ground they ran on to form into a row of dominoes, toppling over the guards and entrapping them in the cracks and spaces between the folded tiles.

"Sorry, we just need to get through to see the Earth King!" Katara chirped as they hurried past the trapped guards, headed for the bridge.

Mariko looked at the three rows of nine guards, two on either side of the mote, one at the top of a high stairwell, and she swore.

The row of nine at the top of the stairwell lifted the twin badger-mole statues on either side and then sent them careening down at the group; acting quick, Aang and Toph formed a thick domed shield to cover them from the blast, dust flying.

Mariko sprinted out first, twin flame ribbons coming to life in her hands; "Kat, some cover would be nice!" She barked, hearing Katara tailing her shortly, distinctly seeing her hop across the mote on an arch of ice as she leaped the distance and her right boot connected with the chest of the guard in the middle of the row of nine, his body breaking her fall. Orange and red danced in a vain flash of fire as she used the ribbons to knock the eight other guards down or over the edge into the mote, bolting after her friends at top speed and tailing Sokka shortly.

More guards began spilling out of the palace front like spider-ants, and she sighed, a cocky smirk ghosting on her lips. "They just don't know when to give up, now do they?"

But Toph was on the offense again, arms rising up as if to reach for the top of the stairwell the guards were pouring down, and then she quickly jerked her arms down, hands clamping shut; swiftly the stairs were smoothed like a high-rising ramp and sent the men tumbling helplessly downward. Aang joined her, and they both created a platform for their group to rise up despite the continual dropping of guards, and Mariko had to elbow Katara pointedly when she tried to apologize to the falling earthbenders.

The group made it to the top of the stairs, continuing to knock away the endless amount of guards in their path, mainly with Toph and Aang as the forerunners. Sokka started opening doors to check which room harbored the king, but a gentle-yet-sharp grab on his scruff from behind pulled him back from opening a third door and he met the patient stare of the firebender.

"Think, smart one, do _any_ of these doors look ornate?" Mariko asked blandly, quirking a brow.

"Well _no_, but I don't see _you_ having any bright ideas!" Sokka shrugged her grip off, scowling.

Refraining from pinching the bridge of her nose, she sighed and grabbed his wrist, looking at the others, "Come on, we're wasting daylight!" Mariko bolted down the main corridor with Sokka in tow, Aang, Toph and Katara plus Appa tailing them.

They continued running through the corridor until skidding to a halt short of a set of tall ornate doors with gold lining.

"Now _that_ is ornate." Sokka smirked, slipping past Mariko to leap and land a kick on the door, attempting to bust it open… But as it happened with her, the universe _loved_ to mess with him.

Vehemently.

He proceeded to try and kick it open before a light tap on his shoulder and she gestured for him to stand back as Aang strode forward to bust it open with a blast of air, both doors clattering to the floor as dust flew up.

All five teenagers hurried inside, skidding to another halt short of several feet infront of the throne, which happened to be an ornate semicircle that was mainly gold and jade green, the gold in the form of intricately-carved visages of badger-moles on either side of the throne chair that was green. And inadvertently seated a thin bespectacled man with likewise-green-and-gold clothes that seemed at least one size bigger than what he appeared to be.

_The Earth King_.

Said man regarded the disruption with a guarded expression, one brow arched in something she pegged to be curiosity, being guarded by another row of earthbenders along with Long Feng who stood dutifully at his right side, a strange mix of smugness and outrage painting his face.

Mariko wanted to growl an oath at seeing Long Feng had beaten them to the king, but she kept her mouth shut.

"We need to talk to you!" Aang spared no time for introductions, being as straight forward as he'd been only minutes ago when they'd stormed the palace like an angry saber tooth moose-lion.

Long Feng quickly twisted his words, poisonous honey seeping from his voice, "They're here to _overthrow_ you."

Sokka quickly countered, "No, we're on your side; we're here to help!"

"You have to trust us," Katara chirped with hopeful eyes.

Mariko regarded his sudden rise from the throne and inwardly snorted at the tension in the air; _like he's going to listen to us with that rat-viper at his ear_.

"You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, break down my fancy door… and you expect me to trust you?" The King demanded incredulously, his voice cracking at one point, but other than that he still held his authority in the room. Okay, he had a point… "If you're on my side, then drop your weapons and stand down." He added calmly.

Mariko shrugged her sword off her shoulders, dropping it and hearing metal connect with the stone floor with a soft 'clink', daggers being revealed from inside her wrist guards as she lowered them at a nicer pace than she had with her katana; reluctantly, Aang, Toph, Katara and Sokka followed suit, and she knew he wasn't aware of her bending, but if they wanted to earn his trust, laying down their arms was a necessity.

She didn't like being defenseless. It made her weak and she loathed it all the more.

"See? We're friends, your Earthiness." Aang smiled a bit too innocently at the king's unimpressed face.

With a gesture from Long Feng, all five teens were restrained with a pair of earth-cuffs at their backs; she bit down on her lower lip as frustration seeped into her veins.

_No, keep your mouth shut if you want this to go smoothly._

"Detain the assailants," Long Feng ordered, to which the agents materialized behind them to take them away.

"But we dropped our weapons; we're your allies," Sokka protested.

Mariko shot him a sharp sideways look, amber eyes narrowed. "Regardless, we're still considered a threat." She ignored the equally sharp looks she gained from the others.

"Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again." Long Feng expounded on what she'd said, earning a glare from said girl.

"Wait, you're the Avatar? But you're a girl." The King asked in mild confusion.

Mariko blinked and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Your Majesty, but I'm not." She nodded slightly at the airbender, "He is. And if I may add, it doesn't exactly seem proper for Long Feng to have us, five teenagers who have willingly laid down our arms for the sake of peace, still be restrained, now does it? I didn't believe the policy for peaceful negotiations had changed in the last twenty years." She tried her damnedest to not sound so much like a certain princess, but associating with the little fire-monster had seemed to rub off on her regardless.

"That policy _doesn't_ apply to enemies of the state." Long Feng spat.

Experience with angry adults in the past made her impervious and only served to bring a cheeky hint to her next choice words, "Since when was _the Avatar_ considered an enemy of the state? When did the rules change to have the all-powerful Avatar _incarcerated_ and _locked away_ like a common _criminal?_" Tui and La, she was on a roll, but she knew her words hit home.

Three years alone apparently garnered a silver tongue.

The King seemed to take her words and his advisor's words into consideration, looking thoughtful, and a spark of hope ignited in her chest. "Perhaps you're right…" An amused smile formed when his bear padded forward to lick the airbender's cheek, earning a giggle and a gentle smile from the apparent-spokesperson for their group, adding, "Though Bosco seems to like him. I'll hear what he has to say."

::::::::dOb::::::::

Mariko studied his horrified expression momentarily, scowling at the remnants of the drill they'd destroyed only a week ago, looking away.

As they descended onto the Outer Wall, the King brushed past them to look at the shell of the long drill once again, placing his hands on the stone railing.

"It's not so secret, now is it, Your Majesty?" Mariko mused softly as she came to his side, leveling a stony look at the mechanism, shame resurfacing slowly at taking a glance at the emblazoned Fire Nation insignia on the top of the long metal shell, her arms folding. "This is only a smidge of a painful reminder that the war has ravaged not only the homes of the refugees that come in every day, but the rest of the world, too. Omashu has also fallen prey, as well as the majority of the Earth Kingdom. Ba Sing Se is the only stronghold left standing." She informed gravely, destroying the shame that fought to rise into her low tone, her amber eyes tightening.

"All this time, and I didn't know a single thing of such a travesty. I can't believe I never knew…" The King murmured.

Mariko slid her eyes closed in solemnity, an ear perking when the sound of a rising platform stirred the stale silence, opening her eyes to glance to the right and see Long Feng slinking back onto the scene with two agents flanking him.

"I can explain that, Your Majesty." _I'll bet you can_. "This is nothing more than a construction project." He strode forward, gesturing to the empty shell of metal down below.

Katara spoke before the older girl could, her tone sharp, "Really? Then perhaps you can explain why there's a _Fire Nation insignia_ on your so-called '_construction project'_?" She also gestured flippantly to said drill, namely the black flame symbol.

He was squirming like a spider-ant under a magnifying glass. "Well it's imported, of course; nowadays you can't trust domestic machinery." He put on a small smile before looking at the disappointed and stony look that crossed the Earth King's features, the smile disappearing. "Surely you don't believe these children, instead of your loyal attendant!" _Caught like a chattering hog-monkey_.

The King looked between the five teenagers and then at Long Feng slowly, before coming to a conclusion. His brow set into a determined frown. "Dai Li, arrest Long Feng: I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom." He commanded.

Brows shot up in surprise and slight awe, before Long Feng was cuffed by two steel braces, the bended coil retreating and dragging a protesting Long Feng with them.

"Looks like Long Feng is long gone!" Sokka cheered as the man was dragged away, chuckling at his own joke, adding, "I've been waiting to use that one…"

Mariko couldn't help but chuckle, even though, as she watched him be dragged into the lower echelons of the compound, she still couldn't shake the feeling that something had been miscalculated…

Maybe it was just her.

* * *

"Long Feng intercepted our letters from home? That's just sad." Toph tsked, shaking her head, but Mariko noted there was a spark of happiness in her milky eyes at hearing word that her mother was in the city.

"Aang," the King handed a scroll to the airbender, who proceeded to read it silently.

The burly General How informed, "This scroll was attached to the horn of your bison when the Dai Li captured it."

"It's from the Eastern Air Temple." Aang noted aloud, reading over the letter.

Katara leaned forward with hopeful eyes, "Is there a letter in there for me or Sokka, by any chance?"

"I'm afraid not," the King said, seeing them deflate a little, before General How added, "But there is an intelligence report that might be of interest."  
Katara took the rolled up report from the general and pried it open, both she and Sokka pouring over what was written.

"A small fleet of Water Tribe ships…"

"What? That could be Dad!"

"…Protecting the mouth of Chameleon Bay… led by Hakoda: it **is** Dad!"

"Your Majesty, there wasn't anything for me in there, was there?" Mariko asked as both men began to take their leave and let the group discuss, meeting the King's gaze.

He smiled wanly, "I'm afraid not. Should there have been?"

"No, just curious. Good night." Mariko smiled lightly, rubbing her neck as they proceeded to leave the room.

"You weren't expecting a love letter or something, were you?" Sokka nudged her lightly.

Mariko rolled her eyes and slugged him affectionately. "C'mon, when have I ever been a romanticist?" She teased with a smirk, perching on the desktop as they plonked down in a circle to discuss.

Aang was almost giddy, "I can't believe it; there's a man living at the Eastern Air Temple, and he says he's a guru…"

"What's a guru, some kind of poisonous blowfish?" Sokka piped up.

"No, a spiritual expert. He wants to help me take the next step in the Avatar journey; he says he can teach me to control the Avatar State!"

Katara chirped happily, "And I can't believe we know where our dad is, now."

"I know what you mean; my mom's in the city, and from her letter it sounds like she finally understands me." Toph agreed.

Sokka said in a slight daze, "This is all such big news… Where do we even start?"

"Split up." At receiving the confused and slightly wounded looks from her friends, Mariko regarded them knowingly. "Come on, it's only logical. Aang needs to undergo that type of training before he can take on the Fire Lord, you two deserve to see your dad, and Toph needs to reconcile with her mom. If anyone should stay behind and help the Earth King plan out an efficient strategy, it's me: I was born and raised in the Fire Nation, I know how it runs." _Aside from the fact that my dad's an admiral_. "It's a win-win situation all around."

Aang spoke up first, "I know but it's just that it feels like we got the family back together with finding Appa, and now you want us to separate."

Mariko felt her ears burn at hearing he considered their group a family, smiling warmly at him. "It's hard, but if we want to get anywhere before that comet comes, this is for the best. It's not like I'm not gonna miss you lot, because spirits know I am. But we need to do this." She stated patiently.

"I know, I'm just gonna miss you guys, too…" Aang mumbled, pouting a little.

Katara chuckled quietly as the older girl patted his head, looking the part of an older sister.

* * *

A/N: _y'know, i'm too excited for the Book III medley so i'm just going to zip through and submit ch19 too. so generous~ lol_

_preview of next chap:_  
_'__**Tui and La, he wanted her to be with him... he wanted her at his side**__.'_


	19. Crossroad of Intertwined Hearts

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_The Crossroad of Intertwined Hearts_**

* * *

A slow sigh escaped as she rubbed her temples. "Let me see if I can get this straight… You only want to send in _two_ regiments in the vanguard? You do realize this is the _Fire Nation_ you're plotting against, yeah?" Cripes, she was getting a headache, and it was barely noon.

The strategy planning had only been going on for three days, and Mariko felt like it had been going on for years. The confidence she'd started off with, confidence that she knew the layout of the land and the enemy they would be facing (her father's regiment included), had almost depleted by this point. Right now she was keeping her cool as best as humanly possible, and not sock these stubborn earthbenders for questioning her ideas.

_Just who was the firebender here, anywho?_

General Sung scowled at her audacity, looking to his fellow generals, "Remind me again _why_ this war effort is being staged by a sixteen-year-old girl." He groused.

"Because she is a close ally to the Avatar," General How defended calmly, noting the pointed scowl forming on the girl's brow as her gaze was directed at the fidgety earthbender; he smirked dryly, "And because she is clearly familiar with the layout of the Fire Nation capital city." He added.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir, but the point here is that the proper number of regiments to send in as the vanguard is _four_. Given the fluke chance the eclipse _doesn't_ last long, the first two regiments go first with the second pair acting as a backup should the first pair receive heavy firepower. And knowing my own people, trust me, there'll be hell." She smirked cheekily despite the graveness of the joke, earning a couple of laughs from the generals.

The meeting proceeded at a calmer pace once the atmosphere had relaxed, ending with General How concluding, "All we need is the Earth King's seal to execute the plan." He placed a bound scroll on a square piece of the table frame and sent it sliding to Mariko's side of the table so she could take it.

Mariko nodded, smiling wryly and straightening to her feet, bowing slightly. "I'm on it; thank you, General How." She turned to exit the meeting room at top speed, disappearing down the long corridor and soon feeling the sunlight on her face once again.

She passed by more elaborate-looking buildings, most she guessed belong to the generals' families, or other stately nobles that had worked their way into the Upper Ring by some means. Once again she was reminded of the similarities between Ba Sing Se and Caldera, namely the hierarchy that had been set in place for spirits knew how long. Thinking of Caldera made her think of Zuko, and as she passed by an ornate fountain spouting clear water from the tip of the fish's pursed mouth, a nostalgic smile formed.

_I wonder if he's doing okay; we haven't seen each other in a week_…

"Oh, hey! Mariko!" A familiar voice barked, perking her ears and she halted in her tracks before being engulfed in an embrace.

She blinked once before blushing on habit, prying herself away by a few inches to look from the olive-brown longsleeve tunic under a pale apron up into his familiar gold eyes. "Zuko?" His happy smile threw her for a loop, but she found herself smiling back despite the confusion, "What're you doing in the Upper Ring?" She asked, seeing the happiness had reached his gold eyes as well.

Okay, who brainwashed him? This couldn't possibly be Zuko, _her_ Zuko, the pouty prince with a short fuse and a near-permanent scowl on his brow… This was weird.

"Uncle opened up his own tea shop in the Upper Ring and we moved here. I'm glad you're still around." The happiness shifted to a warmth and fondness he only showed her. "I missed you."

She blushed humbly, coughing awkwardly and looking away like a coward. "I missed you, too. Um, are you okay, Zuko? You sound… different." She asked warily, looking at him again with a raised brow.

He chuckled, gold eyes remaining warm. "Just a new leash on life, I guess. Look, I know I've been stupid lately, and the other day we hung out, I had a lot of fun. I loved hanging around with you, Mari, and I just wanted to repay you for taking me out on the town." He smiled sheepishly, a pink blush starting to show on his cheeks, even though his hands kept their gentle grasp on her elbows.

"Zuko, that's sweet. Um, I've got something to do tonight, though…" She blushed again, an apologetic tinge creeping into her voice.

"Tomorrow night, then. I'm taking you out tomorrow night." Zuko saw a million emotions flash in her eyes, but the one he saw most prominently was surprise; spurred by that, he added. "I at least owe it to you for all that you've done."

Mariko could swear her cheeks burned and a smile curled her lips, the prospect of a night out with him, her new-and-improved prince, sending butterflies to be loosened in her belly; she nodded. "Okay. I'd be happy to." She accepted in a soft voice.

A truly happy grin split across his handsome face and he wanted to embrace her again, but he settled for a kiss that expressed just how he felt for her, his hands digging into her upper back and waist, hearing her gasp slightly when his lips crushed hers.

But she was kissing back, her fingers curling in his scruffy hair that had grown out during the week spent apart from him, sighing despite the still-present confusion of when he had started acting positive and sweet and just how long would it last. Would he be like this forever?

Zuko breathed a chuckle as he pulled away reluctantly, his arms glued to her hips despite the broken kiss. "I'll meet you here infront of the shop tomorrow at sundown." He said softly, gold eyes apologetic when he saw the flash of remorse appear in her amber eyes.

"Right." Mariko murmured, stroking his right cheek gingerly, smiling when he covered her hand with his, leaning up to kiss him chastely before prying herself away, flashing him a shy grin and continuing on her way to the palace in a daze.

She was letting herself get in over her head; but at the same time, maybe that was a good thing… If Zuko remained the way he was, he could be swayed to join them in overthrowing his father. But would he do it? Would he have it in him to turn his back on his own family?

Mariko knocked on the high-rising door to the throne room and proceeded to step inside, shouldering open the heavy door before sighing when she made it inside. "Sorry I'm late…" She blinked once at noticing the King wasn't present, three girls donning white facepaint and dressed in green warrioress garb seated infront of the throne. She calmed at recognizing the garb, smiling. "Oh, Suki. Again, sorry for being late; I just ran into my boyfriend; he and his uncle moved to the Upper Ring, and we just were visiting for a bit…" She trailed off as her eyes gauged the girl in the center of the Kyoshi Warrior trio, and instead of seeing auburn hair she saw dark brown on the middle girl's head.

Cobalt wasn't cobalt… it was tawny. Cold, malignant tawny.

These weren't the Kyoshi Warriors, and that sure as hell wasn't Suki.

She dropped the scroll to sink into a stance, but a flash of green out of the corner of her left eye and a numbing paralysis shot up her spine mere seconds later; like that, she was knocked down, landing cheek-first on the cold throne-room floor.

"So, Zuzu's in town; I think it's time for a family reunion."

::::::::dOb::::::::

The next thing she awoke to was not only a killer headache, but also a faint green light surrounding her.

Mariko groaned and sat up, clutching her frontal lobe gingerly in one hand, squinting through her right eye at her new surroundings before the memory of the throne room flashed in her mind.

"Damn it!" She snarled in anger, dropping her hand to slam a fist onto the floor next to her, grimacing when a throb of pain shot up her left arm from the punch; shaking her head as the headache dulled, she gingerly got to her feet, taking a survey of her surroundings.

This must've been an old crystal mine, though the crystals gave off a milky green glow that highlighted the carved paths, and she had the distinct feeling this place was only used as a prison; by the Dai Li, if she had to wager.

She found a flat rock semi-surrounded by a row of green crystal stalagmites and sat down with an expletive caught between her teeth.

Azula was here, which could only mean that she was going to overthrow the Earth King at some point in time; and knowing her impatience, it would be soon.

Zuko and Uncle were most likely going to be captured… Damn why did she have to open her big mouth?  
And Aang…

Mariko growled in frustration at her own stupidity, pounding the heels of her palms into her forehead.

"Everything's shot to hell… and it's my fault." She hissed, the prickling of angered tears congregating at the backs of her eyes she screwed shut tightly to ward off the oncoming tears.

No, she had to get out of here… She just had to.

_Okay, calm down, girl; you just need to think of a plan. If Azula shows, all I need to do is somehow draw her attention elsewhere and then escape, even if I have to fight a fleet of Dai Li agents… I have to stop it_.

_And if she doesn't show? Then what?_ That snide voice in the back of her head taunted.

Then she was royally screwed.

She just needed to meditate; maybe that would give her some sort of inspiration for a backup plan.

It was what she assumed to be a couple of hours later that she first heard it; the only noise she'd been hearing was her own steady breathing up until then.

A scraping, rock against rock… a chance to escape?

Mariko was on her feet in less than seconds, body tensed for a confrontation, but she didn't hear the sound of someone descending into the prison.

"You've got company." A gruff voice declared from the hatch where light poured out from, before the sound of someone being shoved hard hummed hollowly, a groan of pain coming from the one being shoved, before a jumbled mess of olive-brown and dark brown tumbled down the path, landing unceremoniously infront of her.

She snarled and sent a jet of flames screaming at the closing hatch and then swore when the cover was slammed shut on her retaliation, glaring at the hatch. "Bastards." She spat at the ground.

"Ow…" A voice mumbled behind her, and as she turned on her cellmate, she froze at seeing just who it was.

Zuko rubbed his head gingerly, shooting a glare at the hatch, before registering that she was standing infront of him; his gold eyes widened. "Mariko?"

"Zuko…" Her heart plummeted into the abyss beneath her feet and she swore again, slapping her forehead. "Damn it, this isn't good… How… Why the hell are you here?" Mariko demanded, having the sudden urge to throw her arms around him and then hit him for being so stupid to let himself get caught.

"Missed you too… How do you think? Azula got me." He answered tartly, blinking once before scrambling to his feet, looking at her alertly, "What're you doing here? Are you alright? Did she do anything to you?" He demanded, looking her over.

She blushed slightly and crossed her arms. "I'm fine, my head kind of hurts, but that's probably because Ty Lee blocked my damn chi last night. Cripes, stop asking so many questions, Zuko. Where's Uncle? Don't tell me she… y'know." Her face paled at the thought and she shuddered, looking away.

"No, of course not! He got away, actually… I was the one who got caught. I kind of tried to start an Agni-Kai with her, a couple of hours ago…" He trailed off as he practically heard the stupidity of his previous actions pounding at the walls of his head.

"You did…?" Mariko blinked owlishly before a vein pulsed on her temple and she pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing steadily. "Damn it… **YOU IDIOT**!" She whacked him across the chin reproachfully, making him stagger back.

"O-ow… Damn it, Mariko that hurt! Don't you think I already feel like a complete idiot for letting her goad me into a bleeding Agni-Kai!?" Zuko shouted, rubbing his jaw tenderly and scowling at her.

"You overgrown… wait a minute, you're not the happy puppy-cub you were yesterday." At seeing the pout cross his face at being compared to a puppy-cub, she snorted and then shook her head with a slight smile fighting its way to her lips. "Spirits, this is so not good… Damn it." She turned away to return to her spot, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms.

"How is it 'so not good', exactly?" He asked, watching her sink back onto the rock, noting it looked as if the weight of the world had suddenly been dropped onto her shoulders. His gaze tightened.

"Azula knows Aang will come to help me; don't ask how I know he will, but he will. He's a bit predictable like that; always trying to be the hero to a damsel…" She shook her head again. "If she's here, she knows about the eclipse by now, if she's disguised herself as an ally for the past few days in the sight of the Earth King. And if she knows we were planning on staging an uprising against the Fire Nation, then everything's just gotten shot to hell…" The prickling sensation overcame her, and she dipped her head down, black fringe shielding her closed eyes from his penetrating stare. "And it's my fault…" Her voice was cracking.

He hesitated when hearing a choked sniffle, hating that she was crying, and he quickly countered, "It's not, okay? You didn't know, Mari…"

"**Yes it is**! If I had run when I had the chance, if I hadn't opened my big mouth and told her you were here… We wouldn't be in this mess." She hoarsely snapped, her head dropping again as she covered her face with her hands. "The whole damn goal, everything we've worked for, all of it is as good as dead now, because of me." She groaned.

His hands were placed on her shoulders, and she quickly jerked her stare to meet his suddenly fierce gold stare; her amber eyes were puffy and damp, but aside from that, she met his stare.

"Zuko…"

"It's not your fault. None of this is! I know it feels like it is, that you feel helpless and sick with yourself for what happened, I've felt like that before… I know it well… But still. It's just happenstance, Mariko." His determined expression melted into a somber face, and his brow crinkled, his eyes staring past her at something behind her. "Nothing good lasts forever." He added softly.

She lifted a hand to rub her nose gingerly with a finger, looking down at her knees before smiling sadly. "That's another reason I freaked out. All this time I thought I was following you into banishment because I wanted to make sure you were okay, and when I met Aang and the others, I lost sight of what I left home for. But when I saw you the other day, in the most unlikely place in the world, I remembered my reason. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, for being an idiot and flaking out on you. I really am, Zuko. I just hope and pray you can forgive me for acting how I've acted lately." She whispered hoarsely, sniffling.

He soaked in her apology, vaguely wondering when it had turned on him and their estranged relationship, before he closed his eyes and exhaled shakily. "You're the biggest idiot I've ever met. You traveled all over, just to chase me, almost got yourself killed a few times, and then think that I'm not going to forgive you? We've both been idiots, lately, Mariko." He regarded her puffy-eyed stare with something like sympathy, sympathy shifting to determination. "I just know now, even if we're stuck here forever, that I want you with me. You're the only one who's stable, between us both. Besides, I've kinda been thinking about you a lot, lately, after what happened last week." He smiled dryly.

She blushed slightly, dropping her gaze as a million things zoomed through her mind, the one thing that kept coming back most prominently was the faces of her friends; sure being with Zuko was something she had longed for during the last three years, but to leave them…? Her worlds couldn't collide because they would crumble instantly. But as she replayed his words in her head, she realized that he was being sincere; there was no sarcasm or teasing in what he said.

Tui and La he wanted her to be with him… he wanted her at his side.

"I want you with me, too. I've wanted that for three years." She regarded the elation rising to the surface in his gold eyes and she lifted a hand to press her palm to his chest gently as if to keep him at bay. "But no matter what you decide, no matter where you go, I'm going with you. I won't let you leave me behind." Not again.

He quieted and dipped his head in a nod once her words soaked in, smiling wryly, holding her hand in his. "And I won't leave you behind, either." He embraced her, feeling her fingers dig into his shoulders as he buried his face into her shoulder.

This is what she wanted… this was her choice.

A loud rumbling erupted into the air then, and both teenagers jumped to their feet as dust flew from the blast, the clinking of crystal falling and breaking treading into the air; her heart plummeted into the ground beneath her feet at seeing the familiar faces that had come to their aid.

_Yep, predictable_.

"Aang." She felt like her world had come crashing down around her as he, Katara and Uncle Iroh stood there when the dust cleared, and she had the sudden urge to cower; it was bad enough Aang was here, but Katara as well? Spirits, she was screwed.

Uncle Iroh soon embraced them both, namely his nephew, letting her step away to face her friends.

"You shouldn't be here!" Dread gave way to anger, and she inwardly flinched at the hurt look that crossed the boy's face, shock appearing on the younger girl's face as well. "Why did you come?" He was here and God knew they had to get out of here, and fast.

"Mariko, you sound like you didn't want us to come… Aang had a vision that you were in trouble!" Katara was the one to speak, looking at her sharply.

"You left the Eastern Air Temple, didn't you? **Before** you mastered the Avatar State! **Aang**! You're both idiots, you should go!" Mariko glared at the airbender just as sharply before keeping the same glare on the waterbender, and she ran a hand hastily through her hair.

"We're not leaving without you! You're part of the group, remember?" Aang stated, and she growled aloud in frustration.

"**I never belonged with you**!" Mariko shouted, stunning them both; at seeing the bewildered looks, she could swear the prickling of tears was starting again, continuing in their silence, "I don't deserve your kindness, and I never did. I… It's because of me you're here, and it's because of me you're going to die! Azula knew you were going to come because we're friends, and it's my fault… _Everything_ is my fault." Her voice was cracking, but she jerked herself away from them to face one side of the tunnel, closing her eyes tightly.

"Like that matters? Since when were you scared of Azula; the last few times we faced her, you fought just as hard as the rest of us! You're still a part of the family, Mariko…" Katara's voice was sympathetic, a shuffling of feet as she stepped closer to the older girl.

Mariko looked at her stingingly, "You don't know what you're saying, Katara. How the hell can you trust me after all the times I wanted to find Zuko?" She saw her freeze in shock; a snide tone entered her voice as she added, "Zuko was the boy I grew up with… and it's Zuko that is my fiancé." She finished softly, not daring to look in his direction even though she knew he was staring at her.

"You're together." Aang surmised, still bewildered, but regaining his bearings with each second. "All this time… While we were here in Ba Sing Se, those times you disappeared… Was because of Zuko." He stated.

"It's not like you guys needed me around much. You knew the whole time, Aang; I told you that once, a long time ago. I've been pussyfooting with my decision for the last several months I was with you lot, but now I've made my choice. I choose _him_." Mariko stated clearly, a slight coldness entering her voice, and for a second, she hated that she sounded so much like his sister.

"You… are you _insane!?_ Do you have any idea what that jerk has done, what he tried to do so many times!? He tried to capture Aang, baited me with my mother's necklace for the same reason, and you just choose him over your friends!?" Katara exploded, slightly throwing her for a loop, speaking in place of a quieted Aang.

Mariko exhaled softly and looked away. "You don't understand it… you don't understand anything about me, or about Zuko. It's not like either of our lives have been easy, Katara! I was never part of the family, I didn't deserve to be with you guys, pretending I was a normal teenager…" She glared stonily at the younger girl's outraged blue stare, exhaling smoke through her nostrils. "There's still time for you to get out of here in one piece. Both of you." She shot a pointed look at Aang, an apology written in her eyes as she thought back to that promise made about teaching him firebending. _I'm sorry, Aang_. "Get moving." She added the last bit with an authoritative edge.

Katara was all too happy to leave, twisting about without a second look at her and dragging Aang by the hand after her leave; Aang looked over his shoulder at the stiff-legged firebender and the apology was still present in her sombered amber gaze.

He looked away and they both left the crystal cave.

Mariko looked at both nephew and uncle, cracking a small sheepish smile, stepping towards them. This was her choice, this is what she wanted, what she had wanted for so long…

A loud crash sounded then, and a high-rising rift of crystals jetted between them, ensnaring their elder.

"Uncle!" She barked, turning to get into a stance as Azula and two Dai Li agents came forward from the darkness.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but not from Zuko… _Prince_ _Zuko_. You're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor… are you?" Azula drawled, nearing her brother.

Zuko glared at her, "Release him immediately!"

"It's not too late for you, Zuko: you can still redeem yourself." She continued calmly, ignoring the death glares from both her brother and his girlfriend.

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you!" Iroh declared behind them.

Azula quieted him, "Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" She looked at her brother. "I need you, Zuko; I've plotted this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back; you will have Father's love… You will have everything you want."

Mariko regarded the contemplative look on his face out of the corner of her eye and her shoulders almost visibly slumped; she knew that look.

"Zuko, I'm begging you, look into your heart and see what it is you truly want." Iroh tried to talk him out of doing something stupid.

"You're free to choose." Azula stated, gesturing the Dai Li agents slink back into the shadows and she walked past Mariko in the direction Aang and Katara had gone.

"Whatever you choose, I'm with you." Mariko reminded quietly once she had left, looking at him empathetically.

* * *

Twin stony looks regarded her when she shuffled into the shared room she was assigned to, and she ignored them, dropping her sword onto the cot and pulling her boots off, sitting down. "Hey."

The brunette girl raised a brow and shared a mildly surprise look with her friend, looking at the somber girl. "You're not gonna, y'know, attack or anything?" She asked, confusion seeping into her usually-chipper voice.

She lifted a hand to pull her hair out of the ponytail, and she huffed quietly. "What for? It'd be pointless. Besides, I'm on your side again." She shrugged, finger-combing through the tangled locks.

Her cousin held her amber gaze and she noted there was truth in what she said; so she accepted it, sighing. "Whatever. It beats fighting you; after a while it got to be too much work." She mused dryly.

"I'm glad you're back, Mari; between you and Mai, you were always more fun to hang around with!" Ty Lee chirped, smiling sweetly.

Mai deadpanned and rolled her eyes; Mariko chuckled quietly.

It had been so long since she had seen home. Maybe things had changed in her absence; maybe her parents weren't the strict people she had left behind three years ago… Maybe, just maybe.

Maybe it would be good to go home, after all.

* * *

A/N: _okay now __**BEFORE**__ you lot maim me for what happened in this chapter, there's a method to my madness, okay? i know i made Mari out to be somewhat MS but __**BEAR WITH ME**__, if you will. it'll get better in Book III, i promise._  
_until then, later. _

_preview of the next chap: _  
_'__**Mariko was never one to like being girly, even when they were kids**__.'_


	20. Homecoming

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Homecoming**_

* * *

'_How could you turn your back on us?_'

Another tug.

'_You should've never been with us!_'

"Good grief, what have you been _doing_ to this hair, Mariko? Mariko, are you listening to me? **Mariko**!" A particularly sharp tug on the thick locks jerked her out of her thoughts.

Amber eyes snapped closed for one split second; she opened them to deliver a scowl at her hairdresser in the vanity mirror's reflection. "Yes, Mother." She bit out.

The older noblewoman sighed heavily, continuing to comb out her daughter's messy curls. "I'm just so glad you're home, where you rightfully belong. I was worried sick, you know, and then to hear that you were involved in the great conquer of Ba Sing Se…" Her face covered with light makeup brightened in something the girl knew to be pride. "I couldn't be happier."

_Of course you're happy, you weren't the one who stabbed her friends in the back; you weren't the cowardly brat who ran with her tail between her legs_… "I'm glad you're happy, then, Mom." _At least one of us is_.

"There! Gods, you look so beautiful now…" Emiko Khan smiled brightly at her daughter's reflection, pleased with conquering the task of combing out the girl's thick mane of hair and taming it into the half-way style that was suitable.

Mariko looked at her reflection and felt like she wanted to puke.

Her usually-blemish-free skin was now coated in a light layer of makeup that included just a bit of unnecessary pink rouge on her cheekbones, and dark brown eye shadow that complimented her amber eyes 'perfectly' (according to her mother), making her look like a china doll; her mane of black hair that had grown to come to her mid-back had been tamed after all, pulled half-way up, a red clip holding the traditional topknot at the back of her head.

Crap she practically looked like a Kyoshi Warrior.

"I doubt any man could take his eyes off you now, and that includes Prince Zuko." Her mother said as more of an afterthought, perking her ears.

She ignored the slight blush at hearing his name be mentioned; she doubted he would keep a straight face if he saw that she looked like a lemur with rouge on its cheeks, in fact she hoped he _would_ laugh so at least something about their homecoming would seem normal.

_Who am I kidding? That's not gonna happen, no matter how much I hope_.

"Lady Khan, your carriage is ready." One of the servantmaids announced meekly from the doorway of the master bedroom.

Mariko stood from the bench and sighed, leaving the room without another word, her mother following quickly. _Let's get this over with_, she thought.

* * *

The hall was abuzz with chatter and laughter, the clinking of china with chopsticks a hollow noise that hummed in her ears.

She glanced at the main table in the center towards the back of the wall, to which the royal family was seated, namely the three figureheads: Azula sat to the right of her father, the Fire Lord seated at the head, a spitting image of the previous Fire Lord Azulon (she'd seen pictures of him but had never met the old bastard) save that his hair was brown like Azula's, and Zuko was on his left… Wait, why was his seat vacant?

"You have _no_ idea how boring it is over there." His familiar low voice mused blandly at her side as she heard a chair be pulled up to her left, pulling her from her observations.

She looked at her friend and noted he'd put his hair into the traditional topknot; she smirked wryly, folding her arms and slouching in her seat. "Is that why you chose to _grace_ _me_ with your presence?" She returned in the same tone.

"Partly." He muttered, noticing the makeup she'd put on, smirking back; probably forced on, for all he knew.

Mariko was never one to like being girly, even when they were kids.

She huffed, fidgeting slightly and putting a hand up to rest her left cheek on her palm, elbow propped on the tabletop. "Don't tell me my mother conned you into coming over here."_ She knows I hate pity but she does it anyway_.

"Worse, Azula." He shook his head, grimacing.

She snorted, putting the ladylike getup and her title in question, a true scowl forming on her brow. "That **_is_** worse; congratulations, you win in regards to having the more nagging family member." She gestured with a flourishing hand to him, feigning worship. "I submit the crown." She said dryly.

"Don't tell me your mother forced the warpaint on you." He returned.

Her cheeks colored slightly and she sighed. "Okay, I won't. I feel like a hog-monkey with clown makeup." She groused, the scowl remaining on her brow.

"It doesn't suit you; you looked fine without makeup." He mused, perking her ears.

She blushed at his compliment and looked down at her now-cold tea, doing the instinctive thing and slugging his arm.

"Ow! What was that for; I was trying to be _nice!_" He bit back the urge to yelp, scowling at her and rubbing his arm gingerly.

"You succeeded, though I just needed to punch something… And you were the closest thing." She tilted her head and smiled sweetly when being met with his burning gold stare. "Thank you, Zu."

Zuko grumbled and cut his gaze away with a snort, distinctly hearing a giggle from his fiancé. "Bite me."

"So are you glad to be home?" Mariko asked suddenly, pulling his attention to her again, her amber eyes neutral; he could swear he saw just the slightest hint of concern there beneath the surface.

He glanced down, shrugging. "Part of me is, but the other part… I'm not sure, how the other part feels." He looked past the table at hearing a laugh, his gold eyes registering on her father talking with another admiral, looking at her as she seemed to follow his gaze before pulling back. "What about you?" He asked quietly.

She smiled wanly at the sight of her father, lowering her gaze to the table. "I miss the friends that I made, but at the same time I'm not sure they're going to trust me again… I came back because of you, and that's what mattered most to me, what still matters. I followed you after you were banished three years ago because life wasn't the same without you. So whatever you decide, I'm with you, Zuko. No matter what." She promised, looking up at him, determination swimming in her eyes and on her stubborn mask.

He held her stare before closing his eyes with a soft huff. "I'm glad one of us is at least resolute in their decisions." He muttered.

Mariko smiled softly, lifting a hand to touch his right cheek, her fingers grazing his cheekbone. "Try and lighten up; it's your homecoming party." She reproached quietly.

Zuko met her softened gaze and felt his own soften even if only a little, pushing the sadness away, smirking faintly. "Since when're you so bossy?" He half-joked, seeing her purse her lips with a huff.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Lady Mariko?"

She exhaled, opening an eye. "What is it?" She had to get used to being called that; three years away from home left a bitter taste in the back of her mouth in regards to her birthright title.

"Prince Zuko is calling."

She smiled a little, inhaling. "Let him in, it's all right." Meditation was getting boring anyway.

The servant girl shuffled away from the door of the courtyard and returned with the prince in tow, dipping her head down in respect as he passed by to step onto the porch.

"Hasn't even been two days, love," her comment trailed off at seeing the thin line his lips were set in; she regained her wits on reflex, the light tone in her voice fading. "What happened?"

He sat down next to her and began, "I'm not sure, but I think Azula knows about the Avatar."

She readjusted her posture so she stretched her legs out, dropping her gaze to the dark maroon color of her pants. "You saw what she did; no one can survive a blow like that… Did your father ask you about it?" She dared not mention Aang's name unless she wanted the flow of bitter thoughts to resurface again; she'd barely had a good night's sleep the evening before they'd hit the shores of the Fire Nation.

"I know! He didn't even ask, he just said that Azula told him everything about what happened in Ba Sing Se." He bit out, curbing his tone out of apprehension of eavesdropping servants bustling here and there in the house, looking down.

"So why is this bugging you?" She asked straight-out.

"It's not; it's just unnerving to be so damn paranoid." He snapped, gold eyes rounding on her, a reflexive angered scowl formed on his brow.

She quieted and dropped her gaze, lifting it again as she took his face in her hands, holding his scowl patiently. "Like it's easy for me? It's not, Zuko. I know I betrayed them, and I know they'll probably never trust me again. It's painful to think of that day, when I saw Katara's face…" She closed her eyes tight, opening them slowly to focus her gaze on the gold lining of his shirt. "But we're both here. We're both home." She rationalized softly.

"So **I'm** the one who's crazy, then." He mused when she released his face, looking down with a scowl.

Mariko glared slightly, exhaling to calm herself and keep from slapping him upside the head, leaning in to softly kiss him, throwing him for a momentary loop.

Zuko's eyes sharpened in surprise before he let her draw back, not realizing he'd grabbed her elbows on reflex, dropping his gaze. "What was that for?"

"You're _not_ crazy. Not more than you already are, anyway." At his sharp look she shrugged innocently, shifting from seriousness to something he guessed was fondness. "I don't think you're like that, you lunkhead. You're just confused. I know how that feels, all too well." Her fond expression faltered at the last sentence as her gaze lowered too.

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it, realization hitting him like a boulder as it dawned on him that _he_ was the reason she had been confused, confused on where her loyalty stood.

With him… or with the Avatar.

* * *

A/N: _sorry the chap was short, it was kind of like a prologue of sorts.. ^^; anyway, so i made this twist in the plot because i was morbidly curious about how Mariko would fare going back home with Zuko and i wanted to test the waters... so, here it is. _

_feedback would be loved~. thanks, and later!_


	21. Beach

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Beach**_

* * *

"This is crap."

"I second that."

"What's up with you two? Usually the dreariness comes from Mai," both teenagers met the bright gray eyes of the perkier girl of their group.

The aforementioned girl rolled her eyes. "Ty Lee **does** have a point." She commented.

Her cousin crossed her arms and stretched her legs out in front of her. "We're only going because our parents booted us out of the house for quality time in the kiddie sandbox." She rationalized blandly.

"Well you can't complain too much about that, Mari; so long as Zuzu's around, I don't see why you're complaining." The princess countered calmly.

Both betrotheds glanced at each other for one solid second before snorting and cutting their gazes away, their cheeks coloring pink. "Piss off." Two grumbled retorts were uttered.

::::::::dOb::::::::

He glanced at her as she uttered a disgusted snort. "What's with you?"

"Now I remember why Ty Lee and I were never close; she's a boy magnet." She groused, slouching slightly, crossing her arms over her chest as she relaxed against his shoulder.

He smiled a little, noting the two (now three) boys that were quarreling over the circus girl, looking at his companion that shared the umbrella's shade with him, her garb much like Mai's except that it was a lighter red and the sleeveless top was tied at the back of her neck, though she maintained her maroon pants that came to the shin, her black hair in a loose braid. "Like you're much different." He muttered.

"What's that mean?" She looked at him with a raised brow, amber eyes curious.

"I didn't say you were _like_ her, just that you're prettier. Don't bite my head off." He defended quickly, not entirely up for a quarrel, seeing her blink.

Her cheeks colored pink and she cut her gaze away, pulling away from him to slug his shoulder. "You're still a prat." She grumbled, becoming the tomboy firebender she always was when they were younger.

"Try saying that next time _without_ breaking my arm, will ya?" Zuko groused, rubbing his shoulder gingerly.

Mariko tilted her head slightly at hearing the complaint and the expression on his face that borderlined a pout, snorting and looking away, failing to hide a giggle. "I make no such promises, princeling." She hummed.

"Don't call me that!" He pretended his ears didn't burn at that damn nickname.

She smiled fondly, the would've-been-insult history, kissing his cheek. "You'll ruin your good looks if you keep complaining." She chuckled when he allowed the pout to show, pulling back to resume her place with her head against his shoulder.

He quieted slightly and exhaled, smiling despite the flustered feeling she brought out in him.

"Hey beach bums, we're playing next. Ty Lee, get over here **now**!" Azula announced, adding a barked order to the circus girl that was surrounded by the three boys from earlier.

Mariko shot a rude hand gesture at the princess when her back was turned, hopping to her feet and shuffling over to the volley-ball court, pausing when hearing giggles coming from behind; she turned slightly to watch her boyfriend dramatically take off his loose robe and flash his skinny torso, noting the girls that had watched and were grinning giddily. She growled slightly and stomped back to drag him by the hand to where his sister was, not without letting a spout of fire leave her middle finger's tip and blasting the sand that was infront of the fangirls.

She grinned smugly when hearing a few outraged noises and choice words escape the girls behind her.

"Jealous?" He quirked a brow, squeezing her hand despite his amusement and her irritation.

She glared amber daggers at him, "Shut up."

* * *

As if being sent to the beach was a bad enough sentence, now they were at this stupid beach party hosted by an admiral's son… Fate _loved_ to mess with her, apparently.

She would maim Ty Lee for forcing her into this damn skirt; it fit tight on her hips and made her '_more appealing_' according to the girl, perhaps as a way to get her to lighten up.

Well, maybe she wasn't so much of a ditz as she'd pegged her to be…

At noting the apathetic look her cousin was giving the guy with long hair, Ruon-Jian or however he called himself, who was talking to the dagger-wielder near her as she was looking for something to snack on from the food table, she lifted one brow, annoyance seeping into her cousin's hazel stare; she looked at the spread and picked up a dumpling, straightening to address her cousin. "Oi, Mai, I got that dumpling for you." She sidled to her left, giving her the plate.

Mai shot her an odd look before seeing the expression on her face that said '_just go with it_', inwardly grimacing at the choice of food she'd picked out, shifting her eyes from the arrogant boy. "Thanks, Mari." She took a bite.

"So, you two sisters? I mean, you're both just as beautiful." Ruon-Jian asked, eyeing the firebender's slim figure, eyes lingering longest on the skirt that made her hips more defined, before averting his eyes to meet her amber gaze with a lazy grin.

Mariko rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Cousins, actually. Mai, come on, I think Ty Lee was calling us," she tugged on her cousin's elbow to drag her away. "Later, pretty boy." She cooed over her shoulder, her shoulders sagging in a sigh once they were at least a yard away from him.

"Kind of laid it on a bit thick, but elsewise, that was well played." She commented dryly, passing the plate with the dumpling back to her, regarding her cousin with the same apathetic expression.

"And all the while I did it without ralphing on his shoes; guys like that are such dumbasses." She smirked cheekily, seeing an amused light flicker in her gaze; she smiled a little, leaning against an available wall space, "Are we okay, y'know…?" She dared ask, her tone quiet, recalling the previous times she'd come into contact with her cousin, namely back in Omashu.

Mai briefly wracked her brain for the memories before quieting, crossing her arms as she stood infront of her cousin. "I dunno, you acted like an idiot, kinda like that time you tried to shoot an apple off my head…" She said dubiously.

Mariko looked down briefly before recognizing that she was being sarcastic; she looked up to see a wry smirk on her cousin's face and chuckled, smiling back. "Azula dared me to do it, if you _also_ recall." She defended lightly.

Both girls shared a quiet chuckle at the memory; the firebender looked past her cousin's shoulder, feeling the smile falter from her face at the kindling scene. "Uh-oh."

"Dude, what's your problem?" The lady-killer huffed, flicking some of his mane of hair from his face.

The prince glared at him, jaw set, "My problem is _you_ trying to hit on my _girlfriend!_"

"You're up." Mai said at regarding the scene with a wary eye, taking the plate from her cousin.

Mariko sighed and flashed a wry look, shuffling away to go handle the situation before it could get out of hand. "Zuko…" She began as she approached his side.

"Wait, _this's_ your girlfriend? Man, she's too hot to be with some jerk like you." Ruon-Jian half-chortled, gesturing from her to the prince.

Zuko acted before she could stop him, forcefully shoving the guy back so he crashed into a tall vase, the shattering of pottery echoing in the room and halting the party.

"Idiot, what was that for?" Mariko grabbed hold of his right arm before he could slug the boy, looking at him annoyedly.

"_Me_, **_you're_** the one letting him hit on you!" He snapped, glaring heated gold daggers at her.

She didn't back down, glaring brazenly. "Like I'd be interested in that idiot! You're acting like a moron!" She exclaimed.

"I didn't see you push him away!"

"_I was trying to help Mai, you prat!_"

Zuko glowered at her to which she glared stubbornly back, tearing his gaze away to storm off, shrugging past Chan as he stated that he was throwing him out, heading to the door and growling out, "I was just leaving."

Mariko stared after him and sighed, rubbing her temples. "Crap…"

"So, since he's not coming back… wanna talk?" Ruon-Jian sidled to her side, a smile on his face.

She glared slightly at him, snorting. "Go kick a torpedo." She bit out stiffly, following the direction her boyfriend had gone, slipping out into the night.

::::::::dOb::::::::

He stared up at the old portrait of his family at a happier time, his gold eyes resting on the kind face of his mother.

A shadow came from behind, stirring his attention away quickly.

With a brief glance over his shoulder he saw that it was her; he huffed, looking at the wall space beneath the portrait, suddenly finding it interesting to look at. "Where's Ruon-Jian?" He drawled.

She crossed her arms at her chest and sighed. "Probably sulking at the party that he didn't get any. Are we alright?" She asked quietly, stepping up to him.

"Depends if you still want to be around me, even though I acted like an idiot back there." He snorted.

She smiled wanly, nodding. "I care about you too much to let something trivial like that come between us, dummy." She admitted.

He glanced at her, feeling a small measure of fondness at seeing her hair was free and wild, just like she used to have it in happier times; she looked best with her hair down… He smiled despite the ongoing war inside his head, nudging her gently. "So you **do** care about me." He mused.

Her cheeks colored and she pursed her lips, looking away, retreating behind the tomboy wall she'd honed for years. "Don't let it go to your head, okay? God knows it's already so damn huge because you're the prince…" She trailed off when he pulled her closer for a kiss, taking her by surprise; her cheeks flared red in response before she slid her eyes closed and reciprocated stubbornly.

Zuko had almost forgotten how cute she was when she was flustered and tried to act tough with him, tugging on her elbows to bring her to his chest, feeling her hands lift to link by the wrist at the back of his neck, one hand of his lifting to bunch in her wild hair, smiling against her lips.

Mariko would slap him over the head later; for now, she reveled in the knowledge that he was a damn-good kisser, her fingers knotting and tugging at thick locks of his brown hair, smiling back.

"Your noble tendencies are going to get your ass kicked one day." He breathed as their lips parted, smirking coyly, noting her flushed cheeks and warmed amber eyes that locked with his gentle gold gaze.

She huffed quietly and smacked his chest, smirking sardonically. "And your ego is going get your ass kicked by your girlfriend someday soon." She purred, smug to see she'd left him the slightest bit aroused.

Zuko chuckled, seeing her smile softly, brushing some of her bangs back. "Sorry, for being a prat." He muttered.

"You don't need to apologize; I'm used to it anyway." Mariko shrugged, giggling when he pouted sorely.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" A familiar cool voice said from the doorway of the main living area they stood in, making both teenagers freeze slightly.

The prince exhaled, reluctantly pulling his hands away from his girlfriend, distinctly hearing a grumbled oath come from her, looking to his sister. "What is it?" He asked, rather disgruntled at her intrusion.

She pretended the older girl didn't level her an annoyed glare, taking one sweep of the house's front room and huffing. "The girls are down at the beach; come on, let's go. This place is depressing." She gestured they follow, mumbling the last sentence under her breath as she went.

He scowled at her leave, dragging his companion after him by the hand, his fingers squeezing on hers, to which she returned the gesture.

* * *

"'Circus freak' is a _compliment!_" She declared proudly even with annoyed tears standing in her eyes.

She huffed slightly, glancing at her. "I guess that's why you need _ten_ _boyfriends_, too." She muttered.

"What?"

"Attention issues; you couldn't get enough attention when you were a kid, so you're making up for it now."

She scoffed, "Well what's _your_ excuse, Mai? You were an only child for fifteen years. But even with all that attention, your aura is this dingy, _gray_…" She started to insult.

"I don't believe in auras, and I'm sorry that I can't be as high-strung and crazy as the rest of you." Mai stated.

Mariko wiggled her toes in the sand, looking to her cousin. "She just called your aura dingy, y'know. And you're going to take that?" She wondered.

"What do you want from me? Just because we're on better terms now, doesn't mean I'm going to be a runaway like you were." She furrowed her brow slightly, hazel locking on amber.

She scowled slightly, kicking at the sand. "I only ran away because life wasn't the same for me, because for once in my life I wanted adventure." She defended.

"You ran away to chase after _Zuko_." She rationalized, seeing her cheeks color pink in the amber light of the fire.

"Okay _fine_, I chased after him, but that's because I give a damn about the guy who was my best friend since we were kids… And I still _do_ give a damn. Your aura is still dingy because the difference between you and me is that I care about people, and you _don't_, Mai." She bit out, her brow set in a glare, her cousin's brow set in a likewise glare.

"Fine, you guys want a teary confession about how hard my childhood was? Well it _wasn't_. I was a rich, only child who got everything I wanted… as long as I behaved. I sat still, I didn't speak unless spoken to; my mother said I had to keep out of trouble, we had my dad's political career to think about." Mai said, reclining on the rock she and her cousin sat on, her arms folded behind her head as she focused her gaze on the clouds in the night sky above.

Azula was the first to speak, "Well that's it, then. You had a controlling mother who had certain expectations, and if you strayed from them, you were shut down. That's why you're afraid to care about anything, and why you can't express yourself."

"You want me to _express_ _myself?_ _Leave me alone!_" She snapped sharply, the fire shining in her eyes as she'd sat up quickly to level a glare at her.

Mariko smiled bitterly, clapping a hand gently on her shoulder. "I was wondering where my cousin had gone, and now here you are." She mused.

Mai began to glare at her before seeing the apology on her face and she quieted, shrugging her hand off on reflex.

"Calm down, you guys; this much negative energy is bad for your skin. You'll totally break out!" Ty Lee piped up flippantly.

Zuko scowled at her, "'Bad skin'? _Normal_ teenagers worry about bad skin; I don't have that luxury! My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson **on** **my** **face**!" He snarled, pointing to the scar on the left side of his face that marred the skin.

Ty Lee looked down, faltering, "Sorry, Zuko, I…"

"For so long I thought that if my dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home now, my dad talks to me; he even thinks I'm a hero! Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now! But I'm not; I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!" Zuko ranted, throwing his fists into the air in frustration.

Mariko looked down at the sand beneath her toes, knowing just what he was talking about but keeping her mouth shut, saying nothing.

"There's a simple question you need to answer, then: who're you angry at?" Azula asked flatly, looking to her brother.

"Noone, I'm just angry!"

"Who are you angry at, Zuko?" Mai chimed in.

"I don't know!"

"Is it Dad?" Azula again.

"No, no!"

"Your uncle?" Ty Lee.

"Me?" Azula.

"No!" He was starting to unravel just the slightest; she frowned empathetically.

"Then who?" "Who're you angry at, Zuko?" "Talk to us!"

"_I'M ANGRY AT MYSELF!_" A sharp blast of fire shot up into the night, making embers dance and rise, before the campfire dropped back into the hearth, dying to mere cinders.

"Why?" Azula asked quietly.

Zuko turned his head away. "Because I'm confused. Because I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore." He shook his head, glaring at the rolling waves.

"You're pathetic," his sister scoffed.

Mariko glared slightly at her, straightening with a soft sigh to near him, taking his hand in hers and looking up at him, stubborn tears threatening to stand and slowly fall down her cheeks, but her eyes burned. "Even so, I told you before and I'll say it however many times it takes to get through your dense skull: I'm going to be here for you, no matter what. I promise that." She said gently, her voice slightly cracked in a couple of places, but other than that she remained the strong girl he had known for as long as he could remember.

Zuko's conflicted expression faltered when he saw the tears, holding her blazing amber eyes in his rough gold ones and allowed a smile to slowly form on his lips. "Like you're one to talk, being so damn stubborn." He kissed her hard, feeling her smile warmly against his lips, pulling back to hold her gaze.

Azula clapped lazily behind them, breaking the staring contest. "Well, those were some _wonderful_ performances, everyone."

Mariko glared cattily at her future sister-in-law, feeling his arm slide to hug her waist as he turned their bodies. "Don't expect an encore performance." She said.

"I guess you wouldn't understand _would_ you, Azula? Since you're _so perfect_." Zuko contributed bitingly, squeezing on his girlfriend's waist.

Azula shrugged, "Well yes, I guess you're right. I don't have sob stories like the rest of you; I could sit here and complain that our mother liked Zuko more than me, but I really don't care. My own mother thought I was a monster… She was right, of course, but it still hurt." She said the last part lightly.

"What Lo and Li said about us came true; the beach really did help us find ourselves. I feel all smoothed; I'll always remember this." Ty Lee, always the pacifist, smiled at her friends.

Mariko smiled and poked her boyfriend's right cheek with a finger, smirking softly at him. "I suppose you're right."

"You know what would make this trip _really_ memorable?" Azula proposed, straightening to smirk mischievously at her friends, an evil plan forming in her mind.

No sooner had they come up with the scheme did the group of five return to the house party. With a polite knock on the door, Chan opened up to see them standing on the doorstep.

"We've got some bad news, Chan…" Azula sang.

"Party's over." Zuko finished.

It wasn't difficult to trash the place; knocking some fine china over, breaking tables, ruining wall hangings and tapestries… Honestly, it was fun.

* * *

A/N: _i regret nothing regarding this chap. period. (:_


	22. Lineage

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Lineage_**

* * *

A blast of fire zipped past his left ear.

He swerved narrowly to the right, catching the coy smirk on his opponent's lips and grunted, right leg kicking out at her to send a countering blast of orange flames at her.

She deflected the blast with a flick of her left wrist, breaking into a sprint as she charged, nimble body twisting in a flurry of movement and the dark red color of her training garb, sending a large cartwheel of fire screaming at him.

The prince leaped out of the way, extending the seconds he spent in the air by swinging out his left foot, right arm swinging sharply in an arc, sending a large fireball down at her.

The admiral's daughter quickly formed a ball of flames to shield herself from his attack, perking up as he crashed down onto her shield on purpose, managing a yelped expletive.

Dust rose up into the air as both teenagers landed on the ground, the boy having dropped onto the girl, both panting heavily from the spar.

"Tui and La, that hurt." Mariko groaned, closing her eyes against the bright daylight of the clear sky above them.

Zuko groaned slightly and shuffled to hover over her, fighting a grimace at the tiny twinges of exertion that radiated from his muscles, holding her half-opened amber gaze; he grinned wryly. "Don't be a sore loser."

She puffed her cheeks out childishly, making him laugh quietly, huffing; the air left his lungs momentarily as her right knee connected with his gut, punting him off so he landed unceremoniously on his back.

He growled an oath, perking up when she towered over him on her hands and knees, casting him in her shadow with a cocky grin on her lips. "_That_ was uncalled for." He snapped.

She giggled, her amber eyes playful. "That was _justified_." She sang teasingly.

Zuko grumbled sorely under his breath, noting the happy light that shone in her pretty face despite the triumph of cowing him glinting in her gaze, her mane of hair pulled back into a messy ponytail… He found himself leaning up to crush her lips with his own, taking her by surprise.

Mariko blushed prettily, deeming he was trying to get back at her and furrowing her brow as she closed her eyes and reciprocated defiantly, tugging on his lower lip, distinctly feeling his hands lift to dig his fingers into the locks of her hair, biting back a groan for fear of showing weakness, shivering against him.

He grinned at her sudden ferocity, sitting up and bringing her with him, his arms wrapping around her waist, feeling hers hug on the back of his neck.

She ran her fingers up the back of his neck to gingerly feel that he'd kept his hair in that damned topknot, recalling that they were making out in broad daylight, and in the middle of her father's personal training ground, no less.

Zuko groaned in remorse when she pushed on his chest, scowling at her hazy amber stare, keeping his arms around her possessively. "That was _definitely_ uncalled for." He groused sorely.

"Like I want my mother to badger me about making out with you in the middle of my dad's training ground." Mariko pointed out, her eyes apologetic and as remorseful as he felt, keeping one hand holding onto his neck as her freed hand cupped his scarred cheek gently.

He closed his eyes at the feeling and exhaled through his nostrils, opening his eyes to hold her softened stare. "Sorry." He wasn't sorry about the kissing, though, not when it was getting interesting.

She blushed slightly, smiling a little, sharing his sentiment regarding the kisses. "Don't be. The kissing has been put off long enough." Three years' worth.

Zuko smirked wryly at her comment, pressing his forehead to hers, seeing her blush deepen. "Three years made you stronger, and dangerous." He added with a wry grin to replace the smirk.

Mariko grinned cheekily, kissing him chastely, retracting with a giggle. "Good, I'm glad to see I can still inspire fear into the turtle-duck with two left feet." She teased, keeping the grin in place as he rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Like that'll ever happen."

"If you say so, _princeling_."

"… Bite me."

"Cute."

* * *

A knock sounded on her bedroom window.

She grumbled, turning in her sleep; she was hearing things…

The knock was a bit louder.

Amber eyes snapping open, she turned slightly to look at her window, seeing a figure crouched there on the outside; she scowled and rolled out of bed, tucking her dagger she'd kept for safe-keeping that was under her pillow at her back as she neared the window.

She blinked once before recognizing the familiar scarred face outside her window; her shoulders sagged and she put the knife down, undoing the latch to open it for him. "Do you have any idea of what time it is? And where the hell've you been?" She hissed as she let him slip past her into the room, closing it behind his entrance, turning to face the prince.

"I didn't come because I wanted you to scold me like a child; I wanted to tell you something." He returned with slight annoyance in his quieted voice, hands lightly curling into fists.

Mariko bit her lip before exhaling softly, moving past him to take a seat on her bed. "Shoot."

"I think I just might've figured out why I feel the way I do, why I've been feeling the way I have for a while, now. But it's still confusing… and kind of scary when I think on it." Zuko started, taking a seat on a nearby black pouf, lifting a hand to rub his left eye.

She sighed, "Zuko, it's three in the morning, and we'll both be sitting turtle-ducks if you're still around when the servant girls come wake me up in four hours." She pointed out patiently.

"Just look at this." He declared, pulling out a small item wrapped in grayed cloth from his robes, handing it to her.

She regarded his tightened gold eyes briefly before lowering her eyes to examine the item, pulling the cloth away to reveal an old hairpiece that would've been worn by the crown prince of the Fire Nation; her eyes widened. "Zuko…"

"Uncle gave that to me… and he told me about my great-grandfathers." He informed, his voice saddened when he mentioned his uncle, seeing her widened eyes lift to slowly register on his somber face.

"What all did he tell you?" She asked softly.

He inhaled and then exhaled steadily, retelling her of what his uncle had said regarding his ancestors, how Fire Lord Sozin was his great-grandfather from his father's side and that Avatar Roku was his great-grandfather from his mother's side, that their shared history gave the answer to why he had struggled with what was right and wrong for so long… It was the answer to his confused heart.

"That explains so much…" She rubbed her eyes gingerly, cradling the artifact in her hands, looking down at the old gold that had been melded into the image of a flame, smiling a little before thinking of something, looking up at him. "But wait, that means that you're related to the Avatar… Oh spirits, this explains a lot…" She lowered her widened eyes again and closed them, rubbing her eyes with the bottoms of her hands. "Oh, Zuko." She whispered.

Bitter pain lashed out when mentioning Aang, but she suppressed the urge to wince, keeping her mind focused on the now, on the shocking revelation regarding the prince that was her best friend, the prince that was the only one she would ever swear allegiance to...

"Uncle said I would need help, figuring things out… He said I would need **your** help." He saw her look up again from beneath her brow, her messy wild hair framing her face with a thick black curtain. "Well, he actually said I would need help from a clever mind like that of his future niece…" He trailed off as blush started to creep onto his pale face and rest on his cheekbones.

She smiled softly, looking at the way the soft moonlight bounced off the fabric of the carpeted floor of her room. "Well with a recommendation like that, how can I refuse?" She half-joked, exhaling and rubbing her neck. "I'd imagine you're trying to wrap your mind around this, so I won't say anything. You need sleep, Zu…"

"He's right, though. I can try, but I know I can't figure this out on my own, not something this drastic… I do need help, at least to keep myself sane around here. I… I need you, Mariko." He cut her off quietly, feeling his cheeks burn like if the fire in his belly had shifted to crawl up his body and rest in his now-red cheekbones, looking down out of something he could only assume was cowardice.

Mariko blushed as scarlet as he did, coughing awkwardly after a few moments of tense silence. "I… I need you, too. I guess I always have, to keep from living in this mundane life I've been dealt. And I'll stand with you. You're the only person I can trust, really, the only person I recognize as the true heir to the throne. I'm glad you decided to share this with me, Zuko. It's humbling, in a way, to know something so drastic and amazing at the same time." She smiled humbly up at him.

Zuko didn't entirely know how to respond to what she said, only that he knew time was shortening and it would become a riot if someone found out the crown prince had snuck into the bedroom of his fiancé in the middle of the night.

They'd both be royally screwed if he stayed.

So he did the modest thing and stood from his seat to head to her window again. "I should go, before someone sees." He mused, hearing shuffling behind, knowing she followed to wish him goodnight.

She nodded and pulled gently on his sleeve, smiling into his eyes, stroking his cheek. "Good night." She murmured.

He smiled back, holding her hand with his and kissing her, pulling back reluctantly, for one fleeting moment wanting to prolong that kiss, turning to open the window. "Thank you, again, Mari, for everything."

The prince slipped out her window and into the night to retreat to his own warm bed.

The admiral's daughter smiled thoughtfully at his leave, locking the window and turning to shuffle back into her blankets, closing her eyes with a sigh and drifting back to sleep shortly after.

* * *

A/N: _another stepping stone in the MariZu relationship~ and yea, the Day of Black Sun is coming. just a heads up (:_


	23. Great Escape

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Great Escape**_

* * *

All she wanted was to practice that lightning move she'd found the scroll of tucked away under her bed.

She didn't want to relearn some damn etiquette lesson…

"Mariko, you are not going anywhere until you have your lesson, young lady." Emiko vowed as she strode after her daughter who was dressed for practice, heading for the training grounds. With her sleeveless crimson tunic tied tight by a black sash at her small waist and the baggy maroon pants that were tied at the shin, she knew if her daughter didn't have her black hair and pretty face, she would pass as a boy.

"Mother, I've learned enough etiquette to throw out the window; I _don't_ need a revising lesson." Mariko said blandly over her shoulder, continuing to walk, stepping onto the covered walkway.

"Has three years away from home turned you into such a _wild child?_" She demanded crossly, patience thinning by the second, seeing her daughter pause in taking a fourth step.

She closed her eyes, counting down from ten in the back of her head. "What's that supposed to mean?" _Nine, eight, seven_…

"I think you know what it means. Yes you returned home in one piece, but I know there's something wrong with you, Mariko. Something happened out there, didn't it? Something changed you…" _Four, three, two_…

"That's _none_ of your _business_. Just because I came home doesn't mean I came back because of **_you_**, Mother. Besides, it has _nothing_ to do with you." Mariko stated quietly, continuing on her way and leaving her mother in her wake.

She slammed the door to the training ground courtyard when she arrived, noting the tall wooden dummy at the opposing end of the spacious courtyard, wiggling her toes and cracking her neck a couple of times, inhaling deeply and then exhaling steadily as she eased her stance, feeling her muscles relax as she had hoped they would.

Lowering her arms, she exhaled again, extending her left hand's index and middle finger, swirling them in a circle and watching sparks crackle in the air, she could swear they were pale blue; egged on by the prospect, she channeled the crackling sparks in a circle infront of her, watching the sparks drag in the air, becoming that shade of blue she had been hoping for. Pulling her right hand to harness the sparks, she quickly let go to extend her right arm behind her and aimed the sparks at the dummy, hearing a sharp crack sound before she was sent flying back, landing against the far wall.

Her head spun for a split second before she realized that her lightning trick had backfired into a mini-explosion and knocked her back; she glared in frustration and scrambled to her feet, taking the same stance again and preparing to fire.

As it happened before, she was sent flying from another explosion.

"**Damn it!**" Mariko swore, closing her eyes tight in further frustration and rubbing them with the heels of her palms, gritting her teeth. "Why can't I do it?" She hissed.

"Uncle tried to teach me how to use lightning, too; it kept backfiring no matter how many times I tried." A low voice mused from the door of the courtyard, perking her ears.

She looked up to see him standing there with an empathetic light in his eyes; she shook her head, rubbing her eyes, wracking her brain for the reason of why he was here and finding it as she remembered he'd said he was going to visit again on this day. "Zuko…" She smiled bitterly up at him, her eyes meeting his. "I forgot you were going to come over. I'm sorry you had to see me like this…" She gestured to the charred smoke on her clothes and some on her cheeks and brow, looking away.

"You do look terrible, but that just means you were trying your damnedest to learn something new." He shrugged, stepping away from the door to help her to her feet. "Who am I to judge?"

She sniffed and took his hand, wiping the remains of her disastrous attempt from her brow with the side of her wrist, shrugging back. "I know. I just hate that I wasn't able to do it on the first try; it means I've still got something wrong with me, just like my mother said." She half-joked bitterly, looking away and glaring at the dummy.

"As nice as it feels to know I'm not alone in that boat, between the two of us, you're the one who's got the level head; I guess you always have, for as long as I can remember." Zuko mused, seeing her eyes lift again to hold his stare.

Mariko smiled a little, sighing. "I suppose you're right…" She blinked as she suddenly recalled something else, meeting his gold eyes. "Hang on, isn't tomorrow that important war meeting? My father said there would be a meeting soon, and given he mentioned he'd be gone all day I figured it was tomorrow… I thought you were going as well." She saw the confusion flicker in his gaze.

He quieted, lowering his gaze as his eyes tightened; it figures he'd be the last to know. "I guess I wasn't invited." He grumbled.

She shook her head slightly, looking at the dummy yards away and smiling impishly, looking at him. "Do you want to do the honors of destroying the dummy? It'd probably help." She gestured with a flourishing hand to the tall wooden object at the far end of the courtyard.

Zuko smiled wryly at her attempt to cheer him up, nodding. "Level-headed _and_ disastrous…" He chided, letting her shuffle away as he took a stance before sending a large fireball at the dummy, setting it aflame.

Mariko shook her head with a chuckle, punching him lightly. "Shut up, I didn't hear you complaining in the past, so why complain now?"

Had his father not intended to invite him out of spite…? Or were they both jumping to conclusions?

* * *

'… _I was the perfect prince, the son my father wanted… But I wasn't me_.'

She fastened the wrist guards onto her arms, tying the tethers on her right wrist with her teeth before lowering both covered forearms, stepping into her mirror's view and taking in her garb a final time.

The admiral's daughter, the noble princess, was gone once again.

Her polished black boots covered her feet, maroon pants covered her legs and were tied by a blood-red sash, her sleeveless tunic she'd worn while in the Earth Kingdom that was deep red with pinkish gray lining and the dark gray undershirt with sleeves that stopped short of her shoulderblades covering her torso.

Tying her hair back into a high ponytail to tame her mane of black hair, she looked at her reflection again and smiled slowly, bitterly; if she didn't look the part of a firebender then she probably would've been startled at the sight.

She pulled the letter out that she'd written shortly after coming to her decision what felt like hours ago, scanning over the words scrawled on the parchment and nodding a little, setting it on her vanity tabletop before turning to her bed and making sure all her daggers were accounted for, polished and sharpened, tucking two out of the set of twelve (a gift she'd gotten for her twelfth birthday from her father) into her wrist guards on the inside, making sure they wouldn't poke at the bindings she'd wrapped around her forearms as a precaution, looking lastly to the katana sheathed in its black scabbard sitting in the middle of her bed.

She smiled fondly as she picked it up, drawing the curved blade and admiring the sunlight that winked off the flat face, the crimson cloth beneath the black leather fastened tight on the hilt; the sword she'd stolen the day she'd set out after Zuko's banishment, the sword belonging to her grandfather on her father's side… the sword that had seen her in the lowest points of her young life.

She exhaled, sheathing it swiftly with a quiet 'clink' when metal met wood, slinging the black leather strap over her right shoulder along with her brown bag's straps, heading to her window, taking one final sweep of her room's various hues of crimson and maroon, opening the latch and letting a breeze steal past her, threatening to tug loose strands of her hair from the ponytail it was held in.

The admiral's daughter inhaled the fresh air before she hopped out and started her descent to the safe earth beneath, glad once she felt solid ground beneath her boot soles, taking off in the direction of the palace.

Her mother hadn't spoken a word to her since their spat the other day, so even though the childish part of her wanted to just up and leave without a note, the more-mature part of her, the part that had been honed and strengthened her in her travels, overruled the lesser half and fueled her hand to scrawl the words she'd written on that paper now sitting on her vanity desk.

'**_I'm sorry I'm not the pedigree daughter you wanted, but this is something I have to do. This is my reason for living. I hope to see you again. Love always, Mariko_**…'

::::::::dOb::::::::

He felt lighter, for some reason, probably because he was actually doing the right thing by leaving.

Of course he had to set his uncle free; that was a priority. Maybe they both could somehow get into the good graces of the Avatar by stating their standing in this war that had gone on for too long…

"And where do you think you're going without me?" Her familiar calm voice brought his feet to a halt and he stopped walking to see she had been waiting for him in the corridor's dimness, leaning against a post, her arms folded over her chest complacently; she lifted her gaze to hold his own with that fire in her eyes, the stubbornness and determination and sheer tenacity she exuded that was Mariko.

He contemplated demanding she stay behind, that this was something he had to do to redeem himself, but her words echoed in his head, how she promised that she would go with him wherever he went… So he didn't argue it. "Not very far, obviously. Come on." He nodded his head slightly forward, seeing her face brighten.

Mariko grinned and stepped away to embrace him tightly, feeling his own arms hug her waist, kissing him happily, feeling him reciprocate just as eagerly, before drawing back, the grin still in place.

Grinning back, even if it was a small one, Zuko continued down the corridor with his girlfriend having sidled to his right side.

Even as they entered the underground bunker where his father and sister were safely kept, she couldn't fight the feeling of adrenaline rising slowly inside her, bubbling like lava in her veins. She briefly wondered why he wanted to see his father of all people, but decided against asking and instead keeping her mouth shut, following his lead without a word.

So when he stopped short of the thick metal door to his father's room, she was quiet, letting him gather his wits. She only moved to peck his cheek, smiling slightly when he looked to her for some form of explanation.

He smiled faintly back, exhaling and facing the door, stepping forward to throw it open.

His father's eyebrows lifted in mild surprise at seeing his son present, lowering the cup of tea from touching his lips. "Prince Zuko… What're you doing here?" He asked, surprise replaced with curiosity; his eyebrows lifted once again at seeing the sight of Admiral Khan's daughter traipsing behind the prince. "And why have you brought _her_ with you?" He added, curiosity truly piqued.

The prince was the one to answer, making sure his attention was focused solely on him and not on his companion. "I'm here to tell the truth." He answered solemnly.

"'Telling the truth' in the middle of an eclipse… This should be interesting." Ozai mused, waving away the line of a dozen guards to exit so he could speak with his son freely.

Zuko inwardly exhaled, starting. "First of all, back in Ba Sing Se, it was _Azula_ who took down the Avatar… not me."

Mariko lifted a brow at seeing the miniscule flash of surprise in her future father-in-law's tawny eyes as he remarked, "Why would she lie to me about that?" He asked, leaning forward a bit in his seat, eyes trained on his son.

"Because the Avatar's alive: _he survived_. In fact, he's probably the one leading this invasion, he could be on his way here right now."

"**Get out**! Get out, both of you, if you know what's good for you!"

"And that's another thing: I'm not taking orders from you anymore."

His lip curled, "You will obey me, or this defiant breath will be your _last!_"

Both teenagers drew their respective swords as he stalked off his makeshift throne, the prince biting out, "Think again! I am _going_ to speak my mind, and _you're_ going to listen." At seeing the sharp threat subliminally posed, he complied reluctantly and sat back down, a glare on his brow.

She traced her thumb over the leather on her katana's hilt as he spoke his piece, the piece he'd wanted to say for what felt like centuries… Her brow crinkled into a soft frown as she watched the amber glow of the lighting in the room bounce off the thin length of her heirloom sword.

"…Well, since you're a full-blown traitor now, you didn't stop to even think of who you were dragging with you into the shameful and short life of a traitor, did you?" He saw him glance momentarily at the silent firebender at his side, continuing now that he had a footing, "Really now, what would your father, your esteemed father who has served our great country for the past twenty years, think if he were to find out his daughter had turned her back on her own family to live so lowly?"

She glared stonily, squaring her shoulders and standing her full height; now she remembered why she never cared for her future father-in-law, especially moreso when he burned his own son three years ago. "Like I care what he thinks; he's so career-oriented he wouldn't bat an eye if he found I was gone. I know my place is to help Zuko put you down, you bastard leech." She stated brazenly.

"Strong words to come from you. Tell me, Prince Zuko, since you both are obviously of one mind, why wait to let the Avatar defeat me? You're both armed, and I'm powerless; you could end it now." Ozai drawled, his narrowed gaze shifting between the couple.

Zuko snapped back firmly, "Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the _Avatar's_ destiny." He sheathed his dao swords as she quietly sheathed her katana, grumbling out a last goodbye to his father before turning away, Mariko following dutifully.

"Coward! You think you're brave enough to face me, but only during the eclipse!" Slipperiness coiled around his next choice of words that stopped the prince dead in his tracks. "If you have any _real_ courage, you'll face me when the sun comes out… Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?"

A tense silence filled the large room, threatening to choke the prince whereas it had already set the admiral's daughter's nerves on edge as she glanced between father and son briefly, and then to the door.

_Just a few minutes left; he's buying time… Damn, spirits don't let us screw this up_.

"What happened that night?" Tui and La, he had to take the bait!

"My father, Fire Lord Azulon, commanded me to do the unthinkable and kill you, my firstborn son. I didn't want to do it, but your mother found out that night, and swore she would protect you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne, so she proposed a plan… a plan in which I would become Fire Lord, and your life would be spared." A malignant glint shined in his gaze and she felt her insides recoil at the striking similarity he and his daughter shared. "Your mother did vicious treasonous things that night, and she knew the consequences and accepted them. As punishment for her treason, she was banished."

"So she's alive…?"

"Perhaps… Now I realize that banishment is an _unworthy_ punishment for treason, and your penalty will be _far steeper_. I might regret informing Admiral Khan of the penalty dealt to his only child, though."

The sun had come out and caused hell to break loose as twin bolts of lightning came to life in the Fire Lord's hands and he sent both jetting at the two teenagers.

"**Zuko**!" Mariko made to push him out of the way before freezing as she watched him harness the vicious electricity with a hand, a defiant grimace contorting his face as he aimed it at the throne and redirected the lightning, sending it screaming back in his father's direction, only to cause an explosion as the bolt hit its target and knocked his father back.

"Let's go!" Zuko grabbed her hand and bolted out of the room at top speed, leaving her no room to protest as they both ran as fast as they could, his mind swiveling to the prison where his uncle was being held.

* * *

It had felt sad and strangely relieving to know that his uncle had broken himself out of prison.

The wind whipped at her mane of hair she'd pulled down, following his gaze in the direction the familiar air-bison was flying, stepping up to his side. "Uncle would be proud of you… I know he would."

He glanced away from the bison kept in sight, seeing her eyes were warm. The words his father had said resurfaced and he looked back at the flying beast. "You know we're probably not going back home anytime soon." Probably forever.

She leaned against the railing, regarding him with a knowing look. "Someone has to pick up the crown once Aang dethrones your father. And I'll be damned if it's Azula." She smirked grimly at the horrid nightmare.

"That makes two of us… Honestly, I don't know if I'm angrier at myself for putting you in the line of fire of my father's lightning, or if I'm happy that you're stubborn enough to follow me to the ends of the earth." He fought the shiver at the possibility of letting her be slain by his father's hand, hating the cold knot that formed in the pit of his stomach at such a horrid scene… Wait, was he really starting to worry for her?

She didn't really know how to respond to that; she smiled a little, inhaling the clean air around them and sighing. "Just accept it and stop being so pensive." She requested patiently, meeting his gaze and holding it tenderly, watching a smile creep onto his features.

"You're still bossy."

"… Bite me."

* * *

A/N: _the fun is only just begun, gents. _


	24. Rewrite

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Rewrite**_

* * *

A low croak sounded from the rooster-frog seated next to her, speaking into the awkward silence that followed his trial-run speech regarding the Avatar.

She deadpanned. "Well it makes _my_ speech look better, I'll say that." She mused, slouching in her seat.

"What speech? _You_ haven't said anything about making a speech, too!" He snapped, irritated at his failure in the speech.

She sighed slightly, gesturing with a flourishing hand, "In a nutshell, all I'm going to say is that I feel bad for bailing and that now that they've regrouped for a second attempt –which _will_ happen, I know that much; if anything, Sokka's ingenious mind will concoct another plan _before_ the comet comes—I want to help again, or at least to help you help Aang master firebending." She smiled in spite of herself, looking up at his gold eyes.

He made a face and pretended she didn't chuckle, groaning slightly in irritation with his lack of tact. "Just don't give the puppy-dog eyes, it doesn't work with me, so I doubt it'll work with them." He inwardly smirked when she '_humphed'_ and crossed her arms, sighing and turning to pace before her. "How would Uncle handle this…?" He muttered to himself, trying to take on the imitation of his esteemed uncle and spouting words that didn't sound like they made much sense.

She snorted, covering her mouth with a hand to hide a giggle, seeing him pout at her, before he looked away curtly. "Almost there, except Uncle makes sense with his proverbs." She commented, watching him pace again.

"I wonder how Azula would do it, then." He wondered aloud, imitating his sister's voice as best he could (ignoring her unladylike snort) and looking to her as he finished with, "Your choice."

Mariko shook her head, straightening to her feet as he plopped down in reluctant defeat. "So long as you abstain from talking like your sister, I think you've got a shot. Slim, but the honest truth? _Be_ _yourself_, Zu. Show them that you've changed." Like she was one to talk; she was lucky everyone had been intent on invading the Fire Nation otherwise she was pretty sure she'd have felt a dagger in her back the day of the eclipse.

"You make it sound so easy, though. How do you know they'll be able to trust you again?" Zuko snapped before curbing his tone as he counted from ten to one in the back of his head to calm his anger, scowling up at his girlfriend.

"I don't… that's the thing." She placed a fist on her hip and looked off to the trees surrounding their campsite, furrowing her brow in a concerned frown, before exhaling. "To be honest, I'm as nervous as you are. I can only pray that somehow they'll lighten up." She said the last sentence on a softer note.

He quieted as the silence stepped in, exhaling, elated on the inside that at least he wasn't the only one who was nervous.

Of course seeing her in a nervous light was something that unsettled his nerves just the slightest; she was always so calm and level-headed, so to see her in the opposite was something that never sat right.

::::::::dOb::::::::

_Well, it was now or never_.

"I think that'll have to wait."

She shifted her weight from one boot to the other, standing dutifully at his right even though the childish part of her conscience wanted to cower behind him; so she inhaled and squared her shoulders, standing tall.

She wasn't a child anymore, she could do this: they were her friends… she could do this… _she had to_.

The gawking faces of the quartet met her eyes and she had to blink once or twice to note that they looked like they'd matured; of course the battlefield would do that to you, whether you wanted it to or not…

And for once, ever since she'd known him, he attempted an airy greeting and waved slightly with a hand, "Hello; Zuko here." She wanted to slap her forehead and then whack him upside the head for his failed attempt.

As expected, the quartet got into fighting stances, and she had to bite down on her lower lip and fight the urge to mirror them, instead feeling her body stiffen slightly; fight first, ask questions later.

Yeah, that sounded about right.

"Um, so I heard you guys flying around, and uh, decided to wait for you here…" Zuko started, vainly hoping the tense silence would pass soon, before he was suddenly licked by a large tongue from the side; not wanting to incite further threat, he let himself be licked by Appa.

Mariko failed to keep a straight face and valiantly stifled a snort, giggling when the same tongue covered her in the bison's drool, patting his nose gently. "It's great to see you too, boy." She smiled up at the bison's large brown eyes and momentarily forgot the tension in the air, watching him draw back as she wiped the drool from her face as if it was nothing.

"I know you must be surprised to see me here." Zuko tried again after following suit and wiping the drool off, looking at the quartet.

Sokka, ever the pessimist, quickly countered, "Not really, given how you've followed us all over the world. The fact that you brought _her_ with you is a low blow, even for a _jerk_ like you." He glanced at the older girl with a hard blue eye that didn't deter her neutral expression.

"Sokka, I…" She exhaled steadily, regarding him with saddened eyes. "Go ahead, Zuko." She murmured, dropping her gaze; out of all of them, Sokka would be second-hardest to convince. Katara was the one who worried her, more than she'd let Zuko know.

"I didn't bring her just to worm my way in, she came because she feels horrible about what happened. I'll let Mari tell her part, but first, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed. I'm good now, and uh, I want to join your group. Oh, and I can teach firebending… _we_, can teach firebending, to you." He looked at the younger boy, instinctively taking his companion's hand when he corrected what he said about teaching. "Y'see, I um…"

"You wanna _what_ now?" Toph's usually confident voice was filled with curiosity, wariness, and just the slightest bit of doubt.

Katara scoffed, "You can't honestly think that any of us can trust you, can you? How stupid do you think we are!?"

"Yeah, all you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang!" Sokka contributed hotly.

Zuko began to step forward, out of habit, "I've done some good things, though! For one, I could've stolen your bison back in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free; that's something!" Another lick from the aforementioned pet emphasized that.

"Appa _does_ seem to like him, and he seemed happy to see Mariko, too…" A slim light of hope shone when Toph rationalized the facts given in the past few minutes.

Sokka was quick to counter again, "He prolly just covered himself in honey or something, so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it."

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past…"

"Like when you attacked our village?" "Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Both siblings bit out venomously.

Mariko had to flinch at hearing them sound so angry, hating that she was on the receiving end.

Zuko was getting exasperated, slowly but surely, "Look, I admit I've done some awful things; I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe, and I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassin after you; I'm gonna come up with…"

"_You sent Combustion-Man after us!?_" Sokka nearly exploded.

"_You_ hired that _freak?_" Mariko joined in, her elbow stabbing into his ribs as she couldn't believe he'd actually sent that third-eye bending monster after her friends.

He ignored her outburst, faltering slightly under the heated stares from the quartet, "Well, that's not really his name…"

"Oh _sorry_, I didn't mean to insult your friend!" Sokka cried sarcastically.

"He's not my friend!" Zuko almost shouted to quiet both the Water Tribe boy and his girlfriend, looking to them again.

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph barked indignantly.

Noticing he'd only been hearing three voices, he looked to the airbender. "Why aren't _you_ saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends… You _know_ I have good in me." He added quietly.

Aang lowered his gaze after catching a shake of the head from Sokka before it lifted and he scowled at both firebenders. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done: we'll never let you join us."

"Aang, please, he's telling the truth. We both are! Sure, Zuko did some things that are cruel, but he really has changed. Can't you just give it a chance?" Mariko decided to speak, looking to her former friend imploringly, amber eyes pleading.

"Why should we give you another chance? You turned your back on us, _on Aang_, back in Ba Sing Se! You left us right when we needed you most, all to chase _this_ jerk!" Katara was the one to answer, defending the airbender, glaring darkly at her.

Mariko winced and lowered her gaze, hating that this was backfiring so badly. "Because I want to help, just as I wanted to help before. I know what I did was horrible, I know you hate me for what happened, but please try to believe me when I say that I felt just as horrible about it, that I still want to help Aang master firebending… Katara, _please_." She was practically begging, distinctly feeling mistiness in her eyes, stinging at the backs of her amber eyes.

Sokka glared at her venomously, seeing she kept her eyes on his sister's stony face. "We were stupid to trust you then, so if you think we're just as stupid to let you crawl back, think otherwise. You're **not** welcome back." He stated coldly, perking her ears.

Mariko flinched and didn't dare meet his gaze, looking away and letting the pain envelop her, closing her eyes.

"I'm trying to tell you that I've changed!" Zuko declared, stepping closer.

"Either you leave or we attack." Sokka threatened as he drew his boomerang.

"Zuko, let's go." Mariko urged softly, looking at him, blinking once when he stepped forward and offered himself as a prisoner.

"No, we won't!" Katara lashed out with a wide arc of water, only to have it deflected with a sharp slap of light embers from Mariko, balking slightly.

"Get up; I'm sorry, Katara." Mariko kept a neutral face even though she felt hurt and kept it from showing, lifting him up with an offered hand, turning to retreat to where the campsite was. "I really am."

::::::::dOb::::::::

The flames crackled vainly, dancing in the darkness.

She tossed a twig to the hungry embers, exhaling and pulling the lapels of her cloak closer around her arms; sleep had evaded her, and even though he'd insisted she get some sleep, she wasn't tired.

Not entirely; she was still recovering from the meeting earlier that evening.

A crack of a twig sounded in the distance, perking her ears; she was on her feet in a second, a dagger from her wrist guards drawn and held in her left hand. "Who's there?" She called carefully.

"Sword Girl, is that you?" A familiar voice called back, and her heart soared.

"What's going on…?" Her companion demanded sleepily from the tent.

"Toph!" She breathed in relief as the earthbender came out of the darkness into the light of the campfire; instinct kicked in and instead of greeting her formally she hurried to embrace the younger girl. "I knew you'd believe us." She declared, pulling back after effectively surprising her former friend.

The earthbender huffed, crossing her arms. "What made you think otherwise? The guys are just being pig-headed about this… Honestly, I'm glad you decided to show up." She slugged her right shoulder hard, making the older girl utter an oath as she rubbed her arm, smiling proudly. "_That_ was for ditching us to go chase after your boyfriend." She stated.

Mariko made a face and sighed in lament, rubbing her arm gingerly. "I guess I deserved that. I'm sorry for what I did, but you know why I did it; it was stupid and vain, but most of all, I'm not sure if they're going to forgive so easily like you did." She mused, lowering her voice in her shame.

"Don't think I forgave you so easily, Sword Girl; I only came to keep the peace and to prove to Aang that he _does_ need you two to be his teachers. Between you and Katara, at least _you_ were more fun." Toph pointed out, imagining the older girl had deflated at her first sentence.

"So you believe us?" Zuko asked, entering into the conversation after having gotten up once realizing they were safe, rubbing sand from his eye.

"My feet don't lie." Toph gestured to her bare feet, prompting a raised brow from the prince.

Mariko smiled and waved it off, looking to her friend. "So how did you guys survive living in the Fire Nation?" She asked, tugging her sleeve to gesture she get comfortable.

Toph shooed her hand off and plonked down, hearing them both sit down near her. "It wasn't much, actually; of course Sokka was the worrywart lunkhead he always is and…" She told them both, namely Mariko, of their escapades prior to the day of the eclipse.

* * *

Another explosion shook the rock roof overhead and made the fountain area tremble.

"Toph, cover the others; I've got this," she instructed over her shoulder as she sprinted past the girl's side to take off on her fire-rockets, summoning a fiery whip and cracking it, narrowly missing the assassin's head. "Oi, I'm over here you bastard!" She called, cracking the whip again, drawing back when he fired another explosion in her direction. "Come on, you three-eyed freak, fight me!" She barked, gritting her teeth and charging into the oncoming explosion, summoning a ball of fire to shield herself from the blast, grunting as her right boot kicked him in the chest and sent him back by a few inches, landing on the ledge.

He inhaled to fire off another explosion at his new target as she took a stance and summoned the energy, watching it circle swiftly infront of her; a bolt of lightning hit him straight in the forehead as it stopped the oncoming explosion, surprising her as she watched thin wisps of smoke rise from her extended fingertips.

_She did it… she mastered lightning!_

The assassin geared up for a counter-attack, seeming to aim it at her first before recalling his original target, aiming for where the quartet were.

"**NO**!" Mariko exclaimed, watching sparks crackle and flare around him, quickly reforming the fireball around herself just as his explosive bending backfired on him and sent him along with the piece of ledge he was standing on tumbling below; she caught sight of sunlight winking up at her from his metal gauntlet before it was shielded by the debris from the blast.

Zuko grunted as he clawed onto the ledge, perking up to see her extended hand; he held her familiar amber eyes in his gold stare before he took her hand, letting her heave him onto the remaining ledge. "Did you just… did you just use lightning?" He asked, looking at her in bewilderment, noting that underneath the concern and relief, she was happy.

"Yeah, I know… But I did it, Zuko, I used lightning!" She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck and embracing him, feeling his own arms squeeze on her waist, smiling brightly and watching him crack a likewise smile on his handsome face.

Using the fire-rockets they returned to where the quartet were, watching them come out from the hiding place (Toph had summoned a semicircle shield to protect them from the blasts) near the fountain to near the couple.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but… thanks, Zuko." Aang said, seeming to slowly overcome the shock, "You too, Mariko." He added at seeing she stuck to the prince's side, her fingers woven with his.

Zuko smiled slightly, now that he had the floor, "Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday; I've been through a lot in the past few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing I had to go through all those things to learn the truth; I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could return it to me. I know now that noone can give you your honor; it's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war… and I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world." He glanced at the earthbender and smiled gratefully. "Thanks for believing not only my word, but Mariko's too." He added.

Realizing the truth in his words, Aang declared, "I think you _are_ supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to firebend, I burned Katara, and after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love. I'd like you to teach me." He bowed slightly to his new teacher.

Both firebenders shared a relieved look before the prince replied, "I'm so glad you've accepted me into your group…"

"Not so fast; first I need to see if my friends are okay with it." The airbender reproached, looking to the trio behind him, firstly to the older boy. "Sokka?"

"Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord; if you think this is the way to do it, then I'm fine with it."

"Katara?" Zuko and Mariko stiffened slightly when he asked the waterbender.

"…I'll go along with whatever _you_ think is right."

"Toph?"

"Fine with me; at least it won't be just Katara anymore, it'll be good to have Mariko back… And Prince Casanova, too."

Beaming, Zuko declared, "I won't let you down, I promise!"

Mariko grinned slightly and sighed as the group dispersed, nudging him. "Come on, Casanova, let's go get our things."

It was a little bit close to an hour later that they both were settled in the barracks of the temple, Mariko bunking with the girls and Zuko taking one room down the corridor from them next to Sokka's and Aang's.

Stretching her arms, the firebender sighed and bounced down the corridor to fetch her boyfriend for lunch, perking up as she heard a familiar voice in his designated room; she slowed her steps and planted her back against the wall a few feet away from his doorway, dropping eaves.

"…Because I'll make sure your destiny ends, right then and there, **permanently**." Katara's voice was icy before it was heard no more; the older girl slightly started when she stepped into the doorway on her way to join the trio for lunch.

Blue and amber held, one cold and the other concerned.

Katara kept walking as if she didn't see her standing there, her stride stiff, hands fisted at her sides.

Mariko watched her leave with a soft frown, exhaling and opening his door, stepping into the spacious bedroom. "Zuko. Are you okay?" She asked quietly, seeing him defrost from his stiffened stance near the window.

"Not really…" Zuko muttered, seeing the worry rising in her amber eyes; his shoulders slumped and he exhaled, putting on a small smile. "Come on, lunch should be ready." He urged, stepping forward to take her hand and lead her out of the room.

"Don't feel like you're the only one who got the cold shoulder; she's not trusting me anytime soon, either." Mariko assured softly as he paused at hearing her words.

Zuko lowered his gaze and smiled bitterly, weaving his fingers with hers again. "Well, it's a start." He saw her smile faintly, squeezing her fingers gently, sighing. "C'mon, Mari."

They walked down the corridor into the clear day in companionable silence.

* * *

A/N: _okay so things haven't panned out well with Katara.. well do you think it'll work itself out? or will she hate both Mariko and Zuko forever..? stay tuned for the next chap~ _

_preview of the next chap:_  
_'__**Dragons... Tui and La, they were alive! Dragons**__!'_


	25. Wild Flower

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Wild Flower**_

* * *

A small spout of smoke came from his opened palm.

Both of them deadpanned; the girl shook her head slightly, looking down at the scroll in her lap, memorizing the stances illustrated. "I might've forgotten to mention the last time Aang made fire it was an ember moreso than a flamethrower." She pointed out quietly from her spot perched behind him on the railing.

"That would've _helped_ prior." He grated, shooting a look at her, to which she wiggled her fingers in a cheeky wave, exhaling steadily to keep his temper in check.

"Perhaps a demonstration would help?" Aang asked rather meekly, looking up at him.

"Good idea; you might wanna take a couple of steps back." Zuko nodded, watching the boy back away a few steps closer to the wall before he exhaled again and took a stance, left fist thrusting out only to exhibit a small spout of embers, balking slightly. "What was that? That was the worst firebending I've ever seen!" He declared.

Aang clapped out of sympathy, offering a slight smile. "I thought it was… nice."

Mariko snorted and lifted the scroll to cover the lower half of her face, valiantly fighting a giggle, hearing a grumbled oath from her fellow teacher. "Nice try, Aang."

"What're you laughing for? _You_ haven't demonstrated, princess." Zuko glared irritably at her, seeing her blink once.

Rolling the scroll back up, she pursed her lips and stood, smacking his chest with the scroll as she put it in his hands. "Oh yeah?" Mariko flicked her left wrist and summoned a thin whip of flames, turning to look smugly at his irritated glare, cocking a brow. "Well what d'ya know?" She drawled, smirking.

"That doesn't make much sense; if Mariko can firebend, why can't you?" Aang questioned, breaking the staring contest between his teachers, making them both blink once.

"Aang brings up a good point. It might be the altitude; your firebending was always stronger than mine, but still…" She agreed, pondering on the reason why he couldn't firebend as easily as he usually did, tapping her chin with a finger; was it because he'd changed his ways? Or was it really the altitude that was affecting his firebending…?

"Yeah, it must be. Let's move to a lower ledge." He nodded, the assurance not exactly reaching his eyes, gesturing they move.

After moving to an open area on a lower ledge, he tried demonstrating again, only to end with the same results. She tried as well, only to end up with her firebending remaining the same, which seemed to make him irritable.

"That last one felt hot," Aang contributed when he fired again only to end up with another spout of flames.

Zuko snarled back, "Don't patronize me!"

"Sorry, Cifu Hotman!" His student replied, earning a barked '_And stop calling me that!_' from the prince.

Mariko slapped her forehead, exhaling. "Aang, noone says '_Hotman'_ in the Fire Nation. The lingo's changed from over a hundred years ago." She reminded gently.

"Oh, right…" Aang smiled cheesily, to which she smiled lightly.

"Hey jerks, mind if I come watch you jerks do your jerk-bending?" Sokka wondered as he came forward to plonk down next to Mariko's seat (which was the stump of a ruined pillar), biting into an apple he had.

Zuko sent him a scowl as Mariko flicked his ear; he snapped, "Get out of here!"

Sokka rolled his eyes and hopped up to let them be, "Fine, fine." He walked away, muttering in amusement at his own joke.

"Um, Mariko, is this scroll illustrating how to use lightning?" Aang asked, perking her ears.

Mariko looked to see he was examining the scroll she'd given to Zuko, gray eyes innocent and curious. She smiled a little, nodding. "Yeah; it didn't work at first, but I managed to use it the other day when Combustion Man tried to blow the temple off the cliffside." She informed, shrugging.

"That's amazing; maybe you can try and teach it to me, too!" Aang beamed at the idea.

"Once you master firebending, we'll see." Mariko smiled for him, seeing him look slightly deflated before nodding, smiling at the prospect; she looked at her boyfriend. "For now, you still have to master actually producing fire." She added, winking at him when he looked to her.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Mariko scritched behind the lemur's right ear affectionately and smiled, glancing over at him as he stood near Appa and blinking once as he came forward into the amber light of the fire.

"Listen up, everybody; I've got some pretty bad news… I lost my stuff." Zuko informed, slightly drooping his head when he finished his statement.

Lifting her hands in surrender, Toph piped up, "I didn't touch your stuff."

"I'm talking about my firebending; it's gone." Zuko elaborated.

A barked laugh came from Katara, making both firebenders look at her; she smiled cheekily at the prince, "I'm sorry, I'm just laughing at the irony. Imagine how _nice_ for us it would've been if you'd lost your firebending _a long time ago?_" She snickered, cheekiness shifting to sarcasm.

Mariko glared pointedly, "You're gonna bring _that_ up again, are you? For someone who acts like she's everyone's mother, you just _love_ to act like a bratty child." She said, letting the lemur hop out of her lap to scramble into Toph's as she crossed her arms.

"Like _you're_ so perfect. Besides, what's wrong with mentioning that; you don't have a _problem_ with it, do you, Mariko?" Katara countered snarkily.

"I've got a problem with **_something_**…" Mariko bit out annoyedly.

"Both of you, cut it out." Aang spoke up, making both girls blink and look to him, ignoring the mutinous vibe emanating from the two girls.

Mariko snorted in an unladylike way, gesturing to her boyfriend. "Go ahead, Zuko."

"It's not lost, it's just weaker for some reason." Zuko continued, albeit awkward if only a little in regards to the tension.

"Maybe you're not as good as you _think_ you are; _either_ of you." Katara sniffed, unrelenting in her bitterness.

"_Ouch_." Toph muttered.

"_Some of us_ aren't adept at being _preachy __**crybaby**__ brats_, blessedly enough." Mariko sang bitingly, sipping her tea, pouring a cup for Zuko as he sat down at her right side.

"_What was that?_" Katara felt a vein twitch on her brow, looking at the older girl slowly.

"It might be because you switched sides, Zu. Internal battle outcomes sometimes affect more than just your mental well-being." Mariko offered an answer, completely ignoring the icy blue daggers digging into the back of her head as she looked at her companion.

Zuko tried to ignore the death glare steered in their direction, nodding a little and sipping his tea. "Maybe you're right…" He made a mental note not to piss off Katara; he had a sinking feeling she would wake up half-frozen if they continued their arguments.

"Mariko might be on to something, actually; maybe your firebending comes from rage, and you don't have enough anger to fuel it like you used to." Aang agreed, looking at his teachers.

Sokka piped up, "So all we need to do is get Zuko angry!" He started poking the older boy in the sides and his temples with his sheathed sword.

"Okay, **cut it out**!" Zuko exclaimed, his voice echoing and making him drop the sword in a cringe, scowling at him. "Look, I don't wanna rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way; if I can't get it back, Mariko's going to be the one teaching Aang." He added with a jerked thumb at his girlfriend.

"You're gonna need to draw your firebending from a different source; I recommend the _original_ source." Toph pointed out.

"How's he supposed to do that, by jumping into a volcano?" Sokka jeered, smirking.

Toph answered calmly, "No; Zuko needs to go back to the original source of what firebending is…"

"So, is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asked again, yelping as he narrowly ducked a thrown teacup from Mariko, meeting her annoyed scowl.

"Dunno; with earthbending, the original source is badger-moles. One day when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave; that's where I met them. They were blind just like me, so we understood each other; I was able to learn earthbending not just as martial arts, but an extension of my senses. For them, the original earthbenders, it wasn't just about fighting, it was their way of interacting with the world." Toph informed, smiling at the memory.

Aang said, "That's amazing, Toph. I learned from the monks, but the original airbenders were the sky bison. Maybe you can give me a lesson, sometime, buddy!" He smiled over at the flying beast that groaned slightly in response.

"The dragons died out long ago." Mariko mused quietly, looking at Aang.

Zuko contributed, "Either way it doesn't help me; they're extinct."

"What do you mean? Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons around when I was a kid." Aang asked.

"Well they aren't around anymore, okay!?" Zuko bit back, scowling slightly as he curbed his tone when the boy raised his hands in defense, looking down. "But maybe there's another way. The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors." He mused, standing to leave the circle and look at the fountain.

Aang straightened to stand next to him, "'Sun Warriors'? Well I know _they_ weren't around when I was a kid."

"No, they died off thousands of years ago; but their civilization isn't too far off from where we are, now. Maybe we can learn something by poking around their ruins." He pondered.

He nodded, "It's like the monks used to tell me; sometimes the shadows of the past can be felt by the present."

"So what, maybe you can pick up some ancient sun energy from standing where they used to stand over a thousand years ago?" Sokka wondered flippantly.

"More or less; either I find a new way to firebend, or the Avatar has to find a new firebending teacher." Zuko mused, looking at the boy.

Mariko sighed and hopped up to retrieve the scroll she'd been reading from her bag, straightening. "It's worth a shot; don't think you're going sight-seeing without me, though. If they were the first people to learn from dragons, who knows how cool it'd be to check out where they lived." She mused, bopping Sokka on the head as she plonked down next to Toph and opened the scroll.

"Since when did I invite _you?_" Zuko scowled slightly at her.

"Since you considered yourself Aang's firebending teacher, and as your assistant, there's obviously no room for me to argue going with you, princeling." Mariko replied absently, studying the second stance in one particular illustration.

Zuko felt his ears burn as Toph snickered next to her, "Don't call me that!"

* * *

"How much longer are we gonna keep flying? For some reason I imagined this thing would go _faster_." The prince asked boredly, scowling at the sea that stretched for miles.

The airbender smiled as the bison groaned a rebuttal, "Appa's right; in our group we usually start the day with a more upbeat attitude."

"I can't believe this…" He groaned under his breath and relaxed against the saddle.

"Aang and Appa have the right frame of mind; you'll get used to it." She mused, checking the dagger she kept in her right wrist guard for signs of scratches or smudges, sunlight winking off the flat edge.

"So what was the _real_ reason you wanted to come?" Zuko asked carefully, lifting his head to look at her, seeing her blink.

Mariko kept her eyes on the dagger, feeling her cheeks burn. "What, you didn't believe me when I said I was _obligated_ to come because of Aang…?" She started to ask.

"No but I **do** know when you're lying." The prince valiantly fought the smug smirk creeping onto his features when meeting her guilty amber stare; he folded his arms. "**Spill**."

"Aaaaang…" She began weakly, looking to her friend as sanctuary.

"He's _your_ boyfriend." The airbender shrugged, smiling apologetically when she deflated at being rendered defenseless.

Mariko sighed steadily, placing the dagger back in place in her wrist guard, looking away from his penetrating gold stare. "It's awkward around Katara, mostly because she still won't let what happened in Ba Sing Se drop. I didn't want to risk anything, so that's why I came." She explained quietly.

"So you came for our sakes, then." Aang surmised, seeing her cheeks redden in embarrassment.

"Don't rub it in; just didn't want you to come back and find your girlfriend recovering from a few bolts of electricity." Mariko muttered, folding her arms stubbornly, hating that she was on the spot.

Zuko's eyes softened slightly at her confession, lifting a hand to brush pesky locks behind her right ear, meeting her stare. "You really do care." He mused.

Instead of shooing his hand away like he imagined she would, she huffed and leaned into his shoulder, looking away from his gold eyes. "Shut up."

Aang smiled slightly before looking forward, letting them be.

::::::::dOb::::::::

A yelp came from the airbender as he jumped back; his female teacher, who had been standing behind him, also fell back to land unceremoniously in her boyfriend's arms.

He slightly yelped and caught her, arms fastening around her ribs quickly, blinking when she looked up at him in slight confusion. Both teenagers blushed simultaneously, the prince releasing her as the admiral's daughter scrambled away, dusting herself off.

"Spooked?" He wondered, trying to fight the amusement from showing prominently on his face.

She snorted, smacking his chest, "_No_, Aang made me fall." She looked at the statue that had spooked their pupil, hearing them inspecting the other statues on the right side of the room, looking to the one on its left, and the next, and the next, before a light came on inside her head… "Is this what I think it is?" She wondered softly.

The same light seemed to shine on Aang as well before he beamed at the ingenious idea, zipping over to latch onto his teacher's arm, "Zuko, get over here, I want you to dance with me!" He chirped, pulling on his arm.

"_What?_" He balked slightly, looking at the boy in surprise, distinctly hearing his girlfriend fight a laugh from the other side of the room. "This isn't funny, Mariko!"

"Just do it!" At further insistence, and pretending the prince didn't grunt in reluctance, they both shifted to stand on either side of the statue formation, Zuko on the left and Aang on the right. "Let's follow the steps of the statues." Aang suggested, arms spread on either side.

Mariko looked at the pout on the prince's face and snickered, crossing her ankles from her perch on the stone pillar for the first statue on the left side of the room. "Play nice, now." She teased.

"Bite me." Zuko seethed, ignoring her giggle, hearing Aang muttering aloud of his theory regarding the stances as he followed his movements with his own, looking down in mild surprise to see the places where his footing was were lowering with each step. _Well I'll be damned_.

She watched with curiosity and bemusement as both boys followed the stances, perking up to see a tall pillar rise up from some compartment below the floor in the center, holding up what appeared to be a large golden egg. Her eyes sharpened in surprise and she hopped down to go examine it, hearing Aang cheer in the background at their prowess. "This is so… pretty." If she didn't know better, and if she hadn't done some digging in the past on dragons, she would think this egg wasn't an ordinary jewel, but a dragon's egg.

"No, this can't be…" It wasn't possible, right? Uncle Iroh had been the one to supposedly slay the last dragon before either she or Zuko were born, so there couldn't be an egg still present after sixteen plus years… _Right?_

"What's up?" Aang poked his head over her shoulder, stirring her from her reverie.

Mariko blinked once before smiling assuringly at him, "It's nothing, Aang."

"It must be some kind of mystical gemstone," Zuko noted more to himself as he had come forward to examine the egg, making her slightly jump before she scooted away to stand by Aang, pouting at him. "What?" He asked, giving her an odd look.

"Well don't touch it!" At the confused question from the prince, Aang gestured to the spiked booby-trap from earlier, "Remember what happened out there with those spikes? …I'm just very suspicious of giant glowing gems sitting on pedestals."

Despite his words, curiosity got the better of him; the airbender's eye twitched as he extended his hand to pick up the egg. "It feels almost alive…" Zuko murmured.

As he started to put the egg back, a geyser of green gunk shot up to glue him to the grate at the top of the ceiling, making the prince yelp in surprise.

"Tui and La, you're worse than me…" Mariko slapped her forehead and sighed, summoning her fire-rockets to get to the ceiling and help him out of the glue prison. "Hold still." She started to pull on the glue, blinking once before trying to yank her hand off the glue stuck to his right shoulder, groaning. "Aang, a little help!" She beckoned, yelping as a gust of wind came from the airbender and flipped them both so her back faced the daylight outside, seeing Aang leap up to cling to the sticky bars before he tried to pull his hands free; she groaned. "Damn it…"

"Zuko do something!" Aang barked as he tried again to get his hands free.

"Me!? I can't move, either!" Zuko bit back, stifling a yelp when the glue rose to stick to both his and Aang's back, distinctly feeling something warm pressed to his lower belly… "Mariko?" He asked, practically feeling the color drain from his face to stain his cheeks scarlet as it clicked.

"Yeah…?" Mariko blinked once and then a second time as she realized they were both stuck together, and that her groin was pressed so very close to… She blushed beet red. "Crap. D-don't… whatever you do, don't move." She threatened lowly, her face staring at his collar bone, making it just the slightest bit easier for her to not stare into his eyes. She silently thanked the spirits that she was a few inches shorter than the prince she was glued to (literally and figuratively).

This had to be one of the worst days of her life.

::::::::dOb::::::::

Despite the deep thrum the chanting and drums in the background gave her, she couldn't help but bite her lower lip in apprehension as her traveling companions stepped up the tall stairwell to the long rock bridge that connected two cave mouths on either side of the bridge, concealing spirits-knew-what.

She instinctively shifted her weight from one foot to the other, suddenly recalling that egg they'd found the day prior, and her theories on whether it was a gemstone as Zuko had said, or if it truly was a dragon egg.

"Those who wish to meet the masters Ran and Shao will now present their fire." One of the tribesmen behind her announced, his voice projected loudly from what appeared to be a strange-looking Sunghi horn.

Mariko watched both boys stand back to back, Zuko on the left and Aang on the right, a mirror image of the Dance of the Dragon that they'd performed in that temple-room.

"Sound the call!" The Chief commanded, prompting a horn-blower on a higher ledge near the tip of the left cavern to blow into a long-nosed horn, making a small flock of birds fly into the air in shock and eliciting a slight jump from the girl.

Loud rumbling sounded from Aang's cave, making the boy flail in surprise and inadvertently lose the ember he'd held in his hands; she forgot her surprise momentarily to slap her forehead when he hissed nervously to the older boy to lend his fire to him, resulting in a small quarrel before low rumbling sounded from Zuko's cave next.

Lowering her hand from her face, Mariko didn't fight the gasp that escaped when a shrill screech sounded from Aang's cave as a long blur of red scales slithered out, loud growling coming from Zuko's cave as a second blur much like the first one save that it was blue followed suit.

_Dragons… Tui and La, they were alive! Dragons!  
_  
And then both Zuko and Aang were performing the dance again, bodies swerving and shifting into the stances from the temple-room's statues, resulting in not only connecting their extended fists at stopping on the opposite sides (Zuko on the right, Aang on the left), but also in the dragons' swirling and slithering bodies to come to a complete halt, the blue dragon facing Zuko and the red dragon facing Aang; her heart clenched into a cold thing and fell into the pit of her belly at feeling the ominous vibe coming from the scene above them._  
_

With a deafening roar both dragons opened their fanged maws and unleashed twin flamethrowers upon her companions, the flames funneling into a tornado-esque form that completely shielded them from the onlookers below.

Mariko flinched and wanted to look away but stopped short when seeing the rainbow of colors that showed instead of the normal red and orange, eyes widened and jaw slack. "Tui and La."

Coiled serpentine bodies relaxing, Ran and Shao rose up and crossed over the other to return to their respective caves, leaving a deafening silence in their wake.

Zuko and Aang descended the stairwell, reveling in the revelations they'd gotten while being in the masters' presence, and she felt her heart soar in relief at seeing them intact.

"Their fire was beautiful; so many colors, colors I hadn't even imagined!" Zuko said in awe as they neared the Sun Warriors plus Mariko waiting on them.

Aang contributed, "It was like firebending harmony."

"Yes, they judged you, and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending." The Chief stated as both boys came to a halt infront of him.

Zuko confessed, "I can't believe there're real dragons. My uncle Iroh said he defeated the last dragon and killed it."

"So your uncle lied." Aang surmised quietly.

"Actually, it wasn't a total lie. Iroh _was_ the last outsider to face the masters, they deemed him worthy, and passed the secret on to him, as well." The Chief admitted, seeing both the prince and admiral's daughter's eyes widen in surprise.

"He lied to protect them, so that noone would hunt them again." Mariko guessed softly, smiling in spite of her surprise and feeling newfound respect for her future uncle.

"All this time, I thought fire was destructive. Since I hurt Katara, I've been too timid and hesitant… But now I know what it really is: it's energy, and life." Aang concluded, looking to his two teachers.

Zuko nodded, adding, "It's like the sun, but inside of you… Do you guys realize this?" He asked, looking at the Chief.

Said man smiled wryly, "Well, our civilization **_is_** called the Sun Warriors." At the prince's slight embarrassment, he added, "So yeah."

"_That's_ why my firebending was so weak, before!" Zuko declared, looking at Aang, "because for so long, hunting you was my drive, it was my purpose. So when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire… But now I have a new drive. I _have_ to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world." He turned away to take a stance and prove that his fire was back, sending twin small blasts of flames into the air.

Aang smiled, spurred by his teacher's declaration and demonstration, doing the same and beaming when a likewise blast came to life.

Mariko threw her arms around the both of them with a grin and hugged her companions as the trio faced the Sun Chief.

"Now that you know the secret, and about our tribe's existence, we have no choice but to imprison you here forever!" The Chief stated gravely, hesitating when seeing the matching balking expressions on the teenagers' faces, grinned lightly and added, "Just kidding! But seriously, don't tell anyone."

The trio said their goodbyes as the sun was dying to the night once again and were soon flying back to the temple, Aang steering with Zuko and Mariko in the saddle.

"The dragons were gorgeous," she lamented softly from her seat next to the prince on the left side of the saddle, looking at the dying sun in the distance.

He couldn't help but smile at her, watching her shuffle closer out of reflex, his arm stretched out on the ridge of the saddle lifting to wrap around her shoulders, seeing her hand rest on his chest; he smiled a small smile.

* * *

Clapping sounded from the audience as both teacher and student finished the Dance of the Dragon for them, straightening to bow slightly.

"Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned, there." Sokka commented from his seat between Katara and Mariko.

Zuko was quick to rebut, "It's not a dance! It's a firebending form!"

"We'll just tap-dance our victory over to the Fire Lord," Sokka chuckled, gesturing with a hand a dancing figure, earning a chuckle from Mariko.

"It's a sacred form that happens to be _thousands_ of years old!" Zuko barked, flustered.

Katara huffed, "Oh yeah; what's your sacred form _called?_" She drawled sardonically.

Shoulders slumping, he deadpanned and looked down in embarrassment, "The Dancing Dragon…" He made a face when the others laughed quietly.

Mariko straightened to peck his cheek, smirking at his gold eyes. "Dance with me, then, Dragon Prince." She teased, shrugging past Aang to take a stance opposite the prince.

Zuko blinked once before a small grin formed at her confidence, following her lead and shifting his stance to start the dance, watching her mirror him with fluid ease.

Bodies twisting and shifting, throwing a few blasts of fire in between, the prince and admiral's daughter connected their fists together at the end, panting slightly.

He didn't know if it was because of the dance that sparked the inner fire in not only himself but in her as well, or if it was because of their awkward situation back at the Sun Warriors' temple, but Zuko could swear that she looked so beautiful dancing –no scratch that, _firebending_.

Why didn't he notice it sooner?

Mariko smiled at the clapping from their friends, easing her stance to poke his chest with a finger, a cheeky smirk on her pretty face. "You can stop drooling, y'know." She purred softly.

Zuko made a face at her teasing, seeing her eyes soften as she chuckled, shaking his head a little and smiling fondly. "How does that lightning technique go again?" He wondered.

Grinning, she bounced over to grab the scroll from her bag, zipping to leave the group. "C'mon, Zu," she beckoned.

"Oi if you two are gonna do what I think you're gonna do, keep it away from the virgin eyes and ears!" Sokka declared, slightly flustered on the sudden shift in gears.

Zuko rolled his eyes as Mariko shot him a rude hand gesture and smirked, following her as she took a detour and led the way to a clear patch of land between the first break of the trees that led to the wilderness beyond the temple and the temple wall.

"So which technique did you want to learn first?" She asked, failing to keep the excitement from reaching her voice, looking up at him imploringly, her amber eyes bright.

He smiled a little at her excitement, looking at the scroll's illustrations, thinking of an idea. "Actually, Uncle taught me a technique that noone knows of because he invented it himself." At seeing the childlike awe scrawled on her face, his smile stretched and he continued, "how to _redirect_ lightning."

"Whoa, really?" She gaped in surprise and new respect for his uncle, looking at him pleadingly, "Can you show me how he did it?" She asked, nearly bouncing up and down in place in further excitement, her heart thumping at the prospect of not only wielding lightning but being able to redirect it.

Zuko grinned in that familiar way he would when they were little and getting themselves into trouble, rolling the scroll up and tucking it in his sash, facing her properly. "He said to channel it through your left hand's fingertips, up the arm, down into your belly, and then out your right hand's fingertips." He watched her try to illustrate the form and shook his head slightly, stepping forward to come from behind and maneuver her posture.

Mariko blushed when he took her right hand and positioned it to point to the trees, the same hand that moved her right hand tracing his index finger along an invisible V-shaped formation from her shoulderblade to her abdomen, his free hand raising her left arm so she pointed at the cliffside beyond the temple's ledge, distinctly feeling the heat between them radiate, whether it was because it was the beginning of summer or because they were so close, she wasn't sure. But it was starting to make her dizzy.

"Got it?" He asked quietly, his voice at her left ear, gold looking at her amber.

She nodded, smiling up at him. "Mm." Before she could register what she was doing, she had lowered her raised arms save her left hand, stroking his scarred cheek gently, her face tilting to meet his, another blush burning her cheeks, seeing he was slightly blushing as well, letting her guide him even though he normally would've become flustered and turned into the turtle-duck with two left feet he'd been around her when they met again in Ba Sing Se.

Zuko pressed a slow kiss onto her lips, making her freeze slightly before he felt her hand at his left cheek lift to bunch her fingers in his shaggy hair, his right hand at her back finding her lower waist as she reciprocated warmly, relieving the tension between them as he found himself kissing back, his hand at her waist pulling her to face him wholly, his free hand digging his fingers into her upper back, holding her tight.

Mariko couldn't fight the grin at the relief in his kisses and she realized it was easy being with him, sighing against him, her fingers tugging at his hair gently, knotting in the locks, leaning onto his body, distinctly feeling his hand at her waist drop to grapple for her left hip, fingertips burning, nibbling lightly on his lower lip, challenging, teasing.

He groaned under his breath at her challenge, shifting her so he pinned her to the wall nearest them, kissing eagerly and digging his fingers into her side he held onto as she growled slightly and kissed back defiantly, the two warring flames sparking and clashing vibrantly, making both teenagers dizzy and hazy.

Zuko drew back from making his mark that much more visible, panting, looking into her flushed face and feeling his insides melt at the aroused light in her amber eyes, his knee he'd pinned her to the wall with by her right thigh lessening the hold, feeling her fingers comb through his hair absently, no longer knotting. "Sorry." He mumbled, feeling slightly awkward again once reality settled in around him, his surroundings, their friends that were only yards away in the temple.

Mariko sighed softly and fought the bitter sting reality hit her with, dropping her gaze to the gold lapel of his crimson tunic. "Don't be, it was worth it." _Trust me, it was worth it_, she inwardly added, blinking when feeling his index finger tip her chin back up so their eyes held, blushing shyly. "Zuko."

He pressed his forehead to hers, a fond light brightening his gold eyes at seeing her shy blush. "You're supposed to be the princess someday, right? Don't lower your head." He pointed out quietly.

She felt a fond smile form before sliding her eyes closed, tilting her chin up a smidge, confidence resurfacing. "For a turtle-duck with two left feet, you dance well." She mused in the same manner, reminding him of the earlier embarrassment.

His lips settled into a thin line, a vein starting to twitch on his brow. "You just _had_ to ruin it." He groused.

"I mean it, Zu." She chuckled, smiling happily at his slightly confused expression, "I'm glad you've got your fire back… You weren't the same without it." She admitted.

He started to open his mouth and say something but for the honest light in her eyes, he looked away briefly, his cheeks coloring. "T-thank you." He mumbled, starting to feel like an awkward turtle-duck again.

* * *

A/N: _not much to put, but just a small shoutout to __**Distant-Moon**__ for the recommendation on her FB page regarding this fic. it means a lot, Moon, believe me (: again, thanks!_

_* **Wild Flower - L' Arc-en-Ciel**_


	26. Manliness

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Manliness**_

* * *

He darted around the blasts of fire flying at his footing and any other openings he might've left, twisting to deliver several bouts of orange flames at his opponent.

She panted slightly, keeping the neutral look present even though she felt like smiling at seeing his progress, deflecting four of the seven bouts with ease, canceling out the remaining three with blasts of her own; at seeing an opening at his right flank she dove for it, creating a large blast of flames that screamed at the opening.

He grunted slightly and formed an orange shield of flames to protect from the blast, dispelling the flames sharply to let the smoke dance and billow around their training ground, panting slightly as he noticed she had straightened her stance to watch the embers die.

His teacher nodded her head, her neutral expression breaking out into a bright grin. "Well, Zu, what do you think?" She asked, tilting her head back to look at her boyfriend, taking in his casual stance aimlessly.

He peeled himself away from the pillar he'd been resting his back against, stepping into the makeshift training ground, a concentrated look on his face. "Your defense needs more work; Mari's fire blast would've burned you if you hadn't pulled that shield up at the last minute. But other than that, good." He assessed, refolding his arms across his chest.

Aang grinned, looking at the teacher's assistant, "So when're you going to teach me how to use lightning?" He asked in slight excitement, seeing her blink once.

"Lightning takes a while to master; it took me a few months. It's cold, precise, and deadly. Once you master firebending, I'll teach you. Until then," Mariko informed, reaching for her belt and pulling the scroll out, tossing it to him. "Feel free to look." She smiled kindly.

Zuko lifted a brow at her flippant end to the explanation, elbowing her. "Since when're you so calm about an ability like lightning?" He asked.

Mariko ribbed him in return. "Since I know if it took me a few months to master it, then it won't take so long for your talented student." She answered coolly, winking at her friend.

He rolled his eyes and pinched her cheek, sighing. "There you are." He smirked amusedly when she pouted at him.

"You're just lucky I don't consider _zapping_ your ass when you're sleeping, _princeling_." She sniffed cattily.

At hearing the snort to valiantly hide a laugh from their pupil, he shot her a death glare. "…Bite me."

Aang stifled a giggle as Mariko grinned cheekily.

* * *

Even though she was never a light-sleeper, she couldn't deny hearing the tiptoeing passing by her. Lifting her head slightly she watched a figure in blue sneaking over to the sleeping bison; her brow furrowed as she recognized it to be Sokka. Inwardly sighing, the firebender slipped out from her makeshift sleeping bag to follow him, ducking behind the pillar on the left of the bison so he wouldn't know she had tailed him.

"Not up to anything, huh?" His familiar low voice asked from the bison's saddle, followed by a thud and slight yelp; she inwardly slapped her forehead.

Sokka hissed back, "Fine, you caught me. I'm gonna rescue my dad, you happy now?"

"Not this early in the morning." Zuko deadpanned.

"Look, I have to do this: the invasion plan was my idea, it was my decision to stay when things were going wrong. It was my mistake and it's my job to fix it." She peered around the pillar to see Zuko having dropped down from the saddle to face the younger boy. "I have to regain my honor; you can't stop me, Zuko." He lightly shrugged past him to get onto the bison again.

"'You need to regain your honor'? Believe me, I get it; I'm going with you." He stated.

"No, this is something I have to do on my own."

"How're you gonna get there, _on_ _Appa?_ Last time I checked, prisons don't have bison-daycares." At hearing the defeated sigh, she heard him add, "We'll take my war-balloon."

Inhaling, she heard them start to shuffle away before she stepped away from the pillar to put on the sleepy façade, yawning widely, stepping into the light. "Zuko? What're you doing up so early?" She asked drowsily.

Sokka froze in place and mentally swore, whereas the prince remained calm (not without shooting him a look). "Oh, Mariko! We, um, we…" He faltered.

"We're going on a fishing trip. You should be sleeping," Zuko shot the younger boy a look that said to meet him at the balloon, stepping away to usher her back to bed. "C'mon, Mari."

Once he had left she dropped the act and dragged him to where Appa was by the grip she had on his wrist. "What are you two _lunkheads_ planning to do? And why are you taking your war-balloon?" Mariko hissed, releasing him to cross her arms and scowl pointedly into his gold eyes.

"Why did I have a feeling you were listening…? _Damn it_, Mariko." He hissed back, pinching the bridge of his nose and looking away with a groan. "It has nothing to do with you." He finalized.

"Sneaking out before sunrise in your war-balloon to pull a rescue mission to the Boiling Rock? That sounds like the _ideal_ place to _catch fish!_ Zuko you _know_ how dangerous that place is… Both of you are insane to even go there." She snapped, glaring up at him, concern lacing her words even though stubbornness screamed in her eyes.

"Sokka's father is being housed there and he wants to rescue him. I'm only going to make sure he doesn't get himself killed in the process." He explained with a sharp exhale, glaring back even though a major part of him was firmly denying that she join them on this suicide mission… He'd never forgive himself if he let anything happen to her. "**_You're_** not going."

"Zuko…" She began before she glared again and looked away. "You're an idiot, y'know." She hissed.

"Like you're one to talk." He knew that look; exhaling quietly, he guided her face to meet his with a gentle hand, meeting her disgruntled amber glare. "I don't want anything to happen to you, okay? The more I think about, the more I believe Uncle was right in saying that I would need you…" A smile started to creep onto his features at seeing the blush slowly coloring her cheeks, her glare softening. "Do me a favor and train with Aang today; he'll need to do twenty fire-fists and ten hot-squats each time a badger-frog croaks." He added, trying to shift to normality even though some small part of him was enjoying seeing her tough shell crack.

Even though he disagreed with it at most aspects, right now was one of those moments he didn't.

Mariko cut her gaze away, exhaling. "Fine." She shook his hand off to return to her bed, pausing and squaring her shoulders before turning back to slug him. "You'd better come back or I'll kill you for leaving again." She vowed, flustered and irritated, amber daggers stabbing into placid gold.

Zuko smirked despite her threat, holding her fist in his hand and crushing her lips with a hard kiss, taking her by surprise before she wove her fingers in his shaggy locks and reciprocated just as fiercely; he chuckled when he drew back, his hands on her ribs. "Be good, spitfire." He kissed her again, gently, reluctantly letting go to follow where Sokka had left, leaving her alone in the waking dawn.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"… Yeah, war seems to run in the family." He mused.

He scowled slightly, "Hey, not _everyone_ in my family's like that."

"I know, I know; you turned out… okay." He lifted his hands in defense.

His scowl faltered into a sad expression, "I meant my _uncle_. He was more of a father to me… And I really let him down."

"I think your uncle would be proud of you; leaving your home to come help us, that's hard." He countered thoughtfully.

"It wasn't that hard." He shrugged.

"Really; you didn't leave behind anyone you cared about?" He raised both brows.

He snorted, "No, she wouldn't let me leave without dragging her along." He smiled thoughtfully, recalling that kiss at dawn.

"Yeah, Mari can be pretty bull-headed. Some part of me is still surprised she came back… She kept her promise after all, I suppose; y'know, about teaching Aang." He smiled a little at the times when she would act like a smartass around him.

"That's one thing about her that hasn't changed, she never breaks a promise. Even when I put her in danger, she stuck it out and stayed at my side… I still hate that I dragged her with me because now her own parents think she's a traitor like me." He mused, his tone slightly bitter towards the end of his sentence.

"My first girlfriend turned into the moon." He admitted, if only to lighten his mood somehow.

He glanced at him briefly, "That's rough, buddy."

* * *

She sneezed.

"Oi Sword Girl, Kat said dinner is ready." Toph informed at hearing her sneeze.

Breaking concentration, Mariko sighed and straightened from her meditation posture, stretching. "Fine, fine." She shuffled over to where the earthbender was waiting, glancing at the first stars that peeked out from under the velvety blanket of dusk. _I hope Zuko's doing okay_, she thought.

"You've been dreary all day; don't tell me you're missing Prince Casanova already?" She elbowed her if only to break the silence that fell between them.

She stirred from her thoughts at the elbowing, smiling wryly and exhaling. "Nah, he'll be fine. He's a big boy." _Who's considered insane at this point_, she added to herself.

"Pssh, you know I can tell when you're lying. You're worried about him, admit it." She had been like this at another point in time, right before they'd lost Appa if she remembered correctly.

But unlike the previous time she chuckled quietly and shrugged. "Of course I worry; he's a quick-tempered lunkhead prince that gets himself in over his head half the time… And acts like an awkward turtle-duck with two left feet around girls." She contributed to her defeat.

"_That's_ where you're wrong, actually; he only gets that way around **you**." At sensing she received an odd look, she lifted a leg and wiggled her toes. "Like I said, my feet don't lie." She slugged her affectionately, hearing a muffled '_ow'_ from her friend. "Stop obsessing over it, will you? Yer starting to make me nauseous." She added.

She puffed out her cheeks and exhaled, crossing her arms behind her head. "Then don't listen!" She griped.

Still, it **did** feel good to know he was an awkward turtle-duck only around her… It was cute.

::::::::dOb::::::::

It was only a few hours past lights-out that the chittering of the lemur awoke her.

Her eyes flew open and she lifted her head to see a large shadow coming into view near the edge of the balcony; everyone else seemed to wake up too because there was a shuffling of clothes and feet around her. Now that she focused on the shadow she realized it was an airship; she scrambled to her feet to join her friends as they welcomed the familiar faces that stepped off the bridge connected to the airship and onto the ledge where they waited.

"What're you doing in this thing; what happened to the war-balloon?" Katara was the first to ask, as surprised as she was.

Zuko shrugged, "It kinda got destroyed."

"Must've been a crazy fishing trip," Aang commented.

"Did you at least get some good meat?" Toph asked.

Sokka smiled happily, "I did: the best meat of all. The meat of friendship and fatherhood."

Mariko blinked once to see three more people stepped off the bridge, one a man that looked to be both Sokka and Katara's father, another a brunette girl that looked her age, and a second brunette man that looked taller than the siblings' father by at least a head. "So much for a suicide mission." She mused, smiling.

"Dad!" Katara beamed with tears rising to her eyes, throwing her arms around her father when he smiled and greeted her warmly, looking at her brother. "How are you here…? What's going on, where did you go?" She asked him alertly.

Sokka smiled sheepishly, "We kinda went to a Fire Nation prison…" He answered before being pulled into a group hug with his sister and father.

"Seriously, you guys didn't find _any_ meat?" Toph inquired again out of disbelief, earning an eye-roll from Aang.

Mariko chuckled before turning to her boyfriend and smacking his chest hard, making him yelp an 'Ow!' before she embraced him tight. "You look terrible." She noted with a smirk when they pulled apart.

Zuko made a face that earned a giggle from her, smiling in reluctant defeat and hooking his arm around her waist. "You didn't miss me that badly if you're scolding me like usual." He chuckled.

"For the love of God, take that _crap_ away from here! There's too many _touchy-feely_ emotions going on!" Toph complained next to them, making both teenagers blink.

Both firebenders deadpanned before the prince smiled slightly and took his girlfriend's hand instead. "Come on, before Toph pukes rainbows." He advised, hearing a satisfied 'humph' sound behind them as he guided her on a late-night tour through the ruins of the temple.

Their walk through the deserted halls was quiet, silence stepping in, standing between them both it seemed, just waiting to be burst like a bubble…

"Aang finished his homework early." At the slightly odd look from him she felt her cheeks warm and she added, "Well I gave him a break after lunch. Eleven-hundred hot-squats, two-thousand fire-fists in that order. Plus a mini spar before dinner last night." She kicked at a pebble in her way, watching it quietly clatter away by a few feet.

Once listening to her detailed report regarding their pupil, he now noticed she had been blushing the whole time, and it obviously wasn't for the airbender; was she actually being nervous around him? And since when did she act… feminine?

'_I still hate that I dragged her with me because now her parents think she's a traitor like me_…'

"Do you hate me?" His quiet, usually-rough, voice halted her babbling, making her stop walking as they both came to a halt infront of a tall statue of a female airbender carved into the high-ceilinged wall on their left.

She looked at him in confusion. "For what?" _Why would I hate him? He hasn't done anything wrong, not to me; he left three years ago, sure, but even so, I followed to go find him… Why would he think that?_ She wondered.

"You… I _left_ you, three years ago, just to regain my honor because my father promised I would be able to come home with my honor and birthright once I captured the Avatar. And just recent, because of me you're a traitor to our country… and then the thing with Katara…" Zuko listed, expounding on what he'd been thinking of ever since the day of the eclipse, looking at the statue and pretending to find interest in the aged carvings into the stone.

Mariko pondered on his reasons for such a ludicrous question, rubbing the back of her neck with a hand, looking at him as he kept his eyes on the statue. "It shouldn't mean anything, not now. You left on false pretenses and I chased you because I was worried about my lunkhead best friend who was banished by his own father, and I came with you despite being labelled a traitor because I made a promise to Aang _and_ to you, dummy. Katara will forgive me on her own time, I know this; so why are you bringing it up so randomly…?"

"Because it's _my fault_ you're out here! You don't deserve to be damned like this, Mariko… I _never_ wanted to let you be put in harm's way. You were _this close_ to getting cut down by my father the day of the eclipse, and if I didn't redirect the lightning in time…"

"**Zuko**." She quieted him, having come to stand at his side infront of the statue, guiding his face to look at hers, his gold eyes burning into her placid amber stare; she smiled warmly, softly. "Stop worrying, okay? What's done is done and honestly, if you hadn't left, I wouldn't have made the friends I made and we wouldn't be standing here, _together_, right now. So stop beating yourself up over this, Zuko. Please." She whispered the last word, both hands holding his face in her grasp.

He let his stare burn into hers a second longer before cutting it away, eyes closing partly. "You're so stubborn." He whispered, his tone almost scolding, almost a growl.

Mariko smiled softly and lowered her hands to her sides with a shake of her head. "You're still a prat." She returned.

Zuko made a face before his hands tugged on her elbows to pull her into an embrace, his fingers weaving in her mane of hair as hers dug into the back of his prisoner tunic. "I still think you're insane to be so forgiving towards me for what I've done, but at the same time… I love that about you." He admitted quietly.

She blushed slightly and rested her cheek on his shoulder, feeling him squeeze her lower waist. "I missed you too, Zu." She smiled fondly, finding truth in her own voice and knowing that she had indeed missed him.

He brushed strands of hair from her forehead, smirking softly, exhaling. "I missed you."

* * *

A/N: _not much to put, sorry gents. kinda starting to dish out what i have left, but it's still good, don't get me wrong. (: anywho, later._


	27. Redemption

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

**_Redemption_**

* * *

_She was going to kill him!_

"Mariko, what're you _doing!?_" Aang grabbed her wrist as she made to rush after him.

She scowled at him over her shoulder, "That many airships can only mean Azula's here, and he can't handle her on his own." She jerked her wrist free to sprint into the fray at top speed.

Azula peered into the fog beneath the cliffside for any sign of her brother, perking up as electricity intensified around her; she swerved to the left to narrowly avoid a bolt of lightning from the cliffside where the airships had demolished most of the balcony, tawny eyes narrowing and zeroing in on the black-haired firebender.

Mariko glowered emotionlessly at her, amber eyes pissed, grunting and sending a wide blast of flames screaming in her direction.

Deflecting them with ease, the princess sent several bouts of azure flames in return, making more dust fly into the air.

Hopping around the fireballs, she took to the air on her fire-rockets and flew past her to land on her small bridge expertly; straightening from the crouch she'd dropped on, she turned to face her properly.

Amber and tawny clashed coldly.

"Turning traitor seems to have given you a backbone!" Azula harnessed electricity and sent a vicious bolt screaming at the traitorous girl.

Mariko quickly redirected it, sending the lightning bolt jetting to hit the second airship's back router, sending a wider bolt in its place at her, forcing her to hop back; she flew after her, fists swinging and sending blasts of orange flames at the princess. "You're not the _only_ girl to have mastered lightning!"

She deflected several of her fists, slapping the last two away with little effort and sending her own left fist sailing at her, blue flames coating her enclosed hand.

She kicked her fist upward with a foot, forcing the flames to shoot into the sky, using her free leg to knock her legs from under her, leaping over her to retreat; the searing heat of an oncoming fire blast came at her back. Swerving in time, she kicked off from the azure flames with a blast of orange flames equal to hers, causing an explosion to coat the air in dust as the blast sent her flying towards the cliffside.

A grunt sounded as a rough hand grabbed her arm in time, and her dazed head was cleared instantly when she looked at her savior to meet his gold eyes; she straightened, noting he'd landed ontop of the third airship, both of them glaring at his sister on the opposing airship.

"Stay here." Zuko ordered quietly, bolting forward and sending furious bouts of flames at his sister, being deflected and blocked, on the defense and then on the offense again and again, continuing until she aimed an azure-flame-encased fist at his face, his own orange-flame-encased fist swinging at her.

"Zuko!" She exclaimed when an explosion bounced into the air from the collision, both siblings free-falling below the airships; she grunted and dropped down after them, adjusting so she was facing down, fire-rockets kicking into gear on reflex as she threw her arms around the prince, both of them landing with a combined '_oof!_' inside the bison's saddle.

Zuko whipped his head around to see his sister still falling and a touch of sadness glinted in his eyes. "She's not gonna make it…"

Twin jets of blue flames spouted as the princess dug her hairpiece into the lower cliff face, a malignant and triumphant smirk on her pretty lips as she watched the bison continue to put more distance between the ruined temple and itself.

"Of course she did." Mariko groused, looking at him and punching his shoulder hard, jerking him back to reality in a pinch. "**You**! You lunkheaded prat, do you have **any** idea how you scared the crap outta me when you fell off that damn airship!?" She shouted, amber eyes shining with a light consisting of worry, frustration, and relief all jumbled into one.

"**Me**! You're the one who flew out after me to fight her with lightning when you coulda been _safer_ inside the tunnel with the others! Did you even think that that damn stunt wouldn't give _me_ a _heart attack!?_" Zuko fired back just as hotly, irritated that she was getting after him even though a part of him was wholly supporting his worry for her.

"You sunnuva…" The anger dissipated as his last sentence struck a chord inside her conscious; realization slowly came onto her pretty face as it soaked in. "Wait, did you just… were you _worried_ about me?" Mariko asked softly, amber eyes widened a little as they stared at him.

Zuko felt his cheeks burn scarlet and he fought the awkward-turtle-duck wall threatening to drag him behind it; he coughed and cut his gaze away, gold eyes tight in denial. "N-no, of course I wasn't! You're strong enough to take her on…" He saw the blush coloring her cheeks dark pink and noted a few ears were dropping eaves out of the corner of his eye; he jerked his attention in that direction. "What're you looking at? Piss off!" He snapped briskly, making the nosier teenagers scramble away from their end of the saddle.

"Zuko…" She saw him glance sharply in her direction and the heat returned to her cheeks; she cleared her throat and looked away shyly, a small smile forming despite the avoidance of eye contact. "Thank you."

He coughed awkwardly and looked to the clouds on his right, finding them suddenly interesting. "D-don't mention it."

::::::::dOb::::::::

A rustling next to her awoke the firebender.

She opened her eyes stiffly to see the brunette girl slipping back into their tent. "Suki, you okay?" She asked quietly, sitting up from lying in her sleeping bag, seeing the girl slightly freeze at being found out.

She smiled sheepishly at her, waving it off, "Uh, yeah! Everything's perfectly fine, Mariko." Of course by the thin line forming on her lips, she knew that was a total backfire.

She rubbed her eyes, "Right. Did you see Zuko, by any chance? He seemed miffed after his spat with Katara at dinner." She asked, sleepiness slowly disappearing to leave the clever-minded admiral's daughter that she was.

"I did, actually; he went to go ask Sokka about something a few minutes ago." Suki answered if only to keep from getting the third degree, seeing her quirk a brow.

Mariko exhaled, shuffling out of her makeshift bed, "I'll go check on him, then; thanks, Suki." She smiled appreciatively at her tent-mate, slipping out into the night to see just where he had gotten to.

The breeze rising from the rolling waves below their encampment tugged at her mane of hair she'd left down, reminding her stingingly of her sleeveless tunic and shorter-sleeved shirt underneath; she rubbed her arms out of habit, looking at the lone figure standing between two tall rock pillars looking at the sea.

"You still awake?" She called softly, seeing him turn in her direction as she came closer, stopping at his side and facing the dark waters, a slight smile playing at her lips.

He puffed out pensively, nodding, following her example. "Yeah. I thought you were already asleep. You looked tired from earlier." He returned quietly.

She shrugged, rubbing her arms as more of a habit than subtle indication that she needed external warmth. "So what did you ask Sokka about?" She asked, just wanting to get the straight truth from him and then go back to a warm bed.

He mentally cursed her tent-mate for their earlier run-in, staring at the milky moon half-surrounded by dark clouds and let a sigh be dragged out into the air. "The Southern Raiders are the reason she hates me. And even though I shouldn't care what she thinks of me, it irritates me that I'm still considered the bad guy when in retrospect the Southern Raiders are the ones responsible for the loss of her mother. Not me." He explained, slightly miffed about the whole ordeal and hating that he had been given the proverbial short end of the stick.

"Ah." She murmured, letting it soak in, processing. "Another fieldtrip." She surmised quietly, slightly catching him off guard for a second, her words a statement more than a question.

He quieted and then nodded, seeing her rub her arms again. "I know it looks like I'm trying too hard to get her approval, but it really is irritating to see that I'm not the _only one_ she's got it out for." He knew both girls hadn't really spoken to each other since they were both indicted into the gang, and from the way that she had stuck to the earthbender's side moreso than the waterbender, seemed to avoid each other as best as possible given the closeness.

She opened her mouth to rebut before letting his words sink in and she instead huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I said I would handle it; Kat's just being a stubborn idiot about accepting you into the group. She's already used to me, but you're a different case. Irony, really." She hated that she was being so damn dense but to say she actually _hated_ her friend? No, she couldn't do that, not after practically groveling on her belly to be accepted as one of their own again.

"Mari, I have to do this, for _all_ of us. You know how it is." They'd been best friends since the age of five so she didn't have any room to deny that she did indeed know him to be a people-pleaser (which she often blamed on his being raised in the palace).

She puffed out her cheeks in defeat, a habit she'd done on occasion when they were little, scowling at the clouds thinning in the night sky. "That still bugs me… lunkhead." She groused.

A smile tugged at his lips, widening a smidge as he recalled their argument upon leaving the ruined temple earlier in the day. "So can I trust you to behave while I'm gone?" _Again?_ He added in the back of his head, gold eyes drifting to his slightly-stoic and complete tomboy girlfriend.

"Given I know that Katara won't pull anything because one, I'd zap her ass off within seconds and two, because she's still miffed, yes." She complied with a small bite to her tone.

"Play nice." Zuko chided with a barely-covered chuckle under his breath, edging closer to pinch her right cheek, only to receive a growl and shooing of his fingers, a gentle smirk forming. "You're more attractive when you're jealous." He noted as more of a spoken thought, perking her ears.

Mariko snorted, another sign she'd kicked her birthright title right out the window, glaring defiantly at his amused gold stare. "You're such an arrogant lunkhead," she bit out, twisting on her heel to leave him to his thoughts and effectively storm back to her tent before his fingers tugged on her waist sash, pulling her close. "I am _not_ jealous." She seethed, amber eyes bearing the flustered emotions welling inside and hidden beneath the sheer tenacity she exuded.

He rolled his eyes, relinquishing his grasp on her makeshift belt to let her stand tall before him. "There's no _reason_ to be, princess. You'd hate me for doing that to you, and we both know it's impossible to stay angry with each other for so long." At seeing her cheeks brighten with pink, he smiled softly, "Why would I, anyway? The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, Mari." He stated quietly.

She rubbed her arms, blushing another shade of pink when he pulled her close with his arm around her waist; exhaling in reluctant compliance, she placed her own hand on his chest, letting him hold her. "So you _were_ worried about me, after all, this morning." She murmured, her cheek on his shoulder.

Zuko recalled his earlier awkward-turtle-duck shying from the factoid and huffed in mild amusement, his hand on her ribs squeezing. "Only because you were so reckless to follow me." He mused.

"Sure, so staging a makeshift Agni-Kai atop two airships is considered _safe_; yeah, okay… God, you're _insane!_" Mariko groaned the last three words and tilted her head so her face was in his upper shoulder, a muffled whine coming from her.

"You love me for it." He felt like he clammed up faster than a turtle-duck once the words left, spilling into the air, soaking them both in a moment of awkwardness.

She opened her eyes slightly once the scarlet blush on her cheeks dimmed, a fond smile forming even though she could've sworn his heart stopped for a split-second in the silence. "That I do."

His stiffened arm around her returned to normal as he felt a great measure of elation that she didn't reject him, his free hand lifting to curl his fingers in her hair. "Really?" If she didn't hold onto him she would've smacked the back of his head for being so insecure about it; he did love her… no, of course he did. She wouldn't have sacrificed so much to just hear him reject her feelings; he couldn't be like that with her… He wouldn't be like that. Not with Mariko.

"You're a moron sometimes." Mariko pulled back to shake her head with a slight chuckle, looking up at him as he was slightly confused, the chuckle shifting to a giggle. "Zuko, I trust you, okay? Even a few months ago when we were in Ba Sing Se, when you were as confused and unsure as I was, it didn't matter to me how far we were apart; I still worried about you, _all_ of you. And even though we've both been through hell, I love you still. Suppose I always have." Even though she was blushing a dark pink, she was still exuding confidence through her words, and that eased him if not realizing that she loved him.

Zuko opened his mouth and then shut it, sighing and doing the instinctive thing by pulling her back to nearly crush her to his chest, hearing her squeak slightly. "You don't have the _slightest_ idea of how much I really don't deserve this, that I don't deserve _you_. You traveled all over, almost got yourself _killed_ a few weeks ago, just because you love me… _Mariko_." He almost growled, his fingers digging into her lower back and right hip.

"Like I deserve _you?_ You've struggled and fought tooth and nail to get to where you got, you're the best friend I've ever had, and you're a lunkhead sometimes but you're still the sweet boy you were three years ago. Who you are, not your birthright or your looks, _that's_ what I love." She hugged his shoulders tightly, smiling despite his annoyance with himself.

"You…" He quieted as the realization struck him that the struggle would continue if they kept being dense about whom was at fault and who was not, so he sighed steadily and let his hand on her back rub small circles with his thumb. "We're both being idiots, aren't we?" He half-chuckled out of spite.

She blushed slightly at the feeling, slightly arching her back, giggling softly despite the sensation and the irony of things. "Yeah, we are." She buried her face into his neck and exhaled, closing her eyes. "I do love you, Zuko." She murmured.

He shivered lightly at having her lips at his neck, smiling fondly. "I love you too, Mariko."

* * *

"… But I didn't forgive him; I'll _never_ forgive him." Her blue eyes rounded on the prince and she smiled apologetically, "But I am ready to forgive _you_." She stepped forward to embrace him briefly, letting go, looking at the second firebender that had hung back, and noting the small smile forming on her lips. "Mariko, I'm sorry, for the stupid arguments and my being… well, mean." She rubbed her neck.

The older girl shook her head with a wry chuckle and embraced her friend tightly, pulling back to regard her with warmed amber eyes. "It's okay, we both acted like idiots. Besides, I deserved half of it, anyway, because of what happened in Ba Sing Se… But we're still friends, aren't we?" She smiled tentatively.

"Of course." She nodded, and both girls shared a quiet laugh, walking alongside her away from the jetty to where Sokka stood waiting with Appa.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"Wait, why're we going back to your parents' summer home?" She asked, looking at him from his seat next to Aang at the bison's neck, leaning slightly over the rim of the saddle.

"It's the safest place right now. Azula wouldn't think twice to look there, and besides, it's right under her nose." He answered calmly, missing the slight knowing look she sent his direction.

The rest of the ride was quiet until they came near a house atop the sloping hill on Ember Island, and at Zuko's insistence, they landed on the patch of beachfront yards infront of the abandoned home.

Stifling a yawn, Mariko helped the girls unload their sleeping bags and her own bag plus katana, distributing the sleeping bags without much thought. Once everyone had their belongings, Aang steered Appa to a nearby stable that connected to the house so he could rest.

"It's been a long time since you've lived here." Mariko noted quietly as she trudged alongside her boyfriend into the foyer of the house, smiling slightly when the others went to find a place to sleep, vainly wishing to join them even though she felt the need to be with him.

Zuko looked at the expansive front room and glanced at the doorway that led to the kitchen in the back, a nostalgic light entering his eyes. "Yeah, it has." He looked at her to see she looked sleepy, smiling a little and nudging her. "Come on, it's been a while since you were given the grand tour." He suggested, seeing her blink back sleep.

Smiling fondly at the idea, she nodded and let him lead the way as he trodded to the stairwell leading to the second floor, following dutifully. She had only come one time, back when she was eight, on a playdate during the summer, with her mother and his, Lady Ursa. They were kept downstairs and out on the stone courtyard in the back of the house to play and such, but once or twice they would sneak upstairs to explore and just for the sheer fun of it.

He passed by the front door that was closed once they were on the second floor, knowing that used to be the powder room, seeing the second door coming up and continuing –it had been Azula's room, anyway—to the third door, stopping there. He jiggled the handle and scowled slightly to see that it was locked, blinking when she held out one of her daggers for him to use; taking it, he pried open the lock and, at hearing the satisfactory 'click', he opened the door successfully, handing her the dagger back.

She waved at the air with a small cough as dust billowed out softly, blinking when he ushered her inside, and blushing slightly when laying eyes on his more-than-accommodating four-poster bed with splashes of gold and reds making the bed match perfectly with the dark crimson on the walls and tawny molding.

Playing in here when they were eight years old was different now that they were both older and knew just what… _transpired_, inside the sanctity of the bedroom.

Her cheeks were red and she jumped involuntarily when he placed a hand on her back, stumbling away to put some sort of distance between them, ears burning as she looked at him and was met with a confused look. "S-sorry." She coughed awkwardly and looked away, regaining her bearings as best as humanly possible while being inside his old room with the prince.

Zuko blinked once before recognizing that she was actually nervous now that they were alone, and in his bedroom to top it off… But even though he should be blushing just as darkly about it, a strange sense of confidence came over him instead. At seeing she shuffled ahead to trace a hand on the crimson comforter, he smiled a little. "Pretty sure it's been a while since anyone jumped on the bed." He noted aloud, seeing her blink and then look at him from having been admiring the bedspread.

Mariko took note of the small smile on his lips and smiled as well, shrugging her bag and sword off as she regarded his words as an invite to act like a kid again; he always did know how to get them both to act childishly. "I think you're right." She sighed, looking at him and allowing a small impish grin to form on her lips before she backed it up and then hopped to land in the middle of the bed with a laugh. She stretched her arms out and groaned, squeaking when he flopped down next to her, and couldn't help but giggle at how childishly they were behaving. She gently pushed him onto his back, smirking when he pouted up at her, sitting on her knees next to him and sighing. "You're such a dork." She chided playfully.

"Oh yeah, like _you're_ so ladylike." He scoffed, poking her belly with a finger and getting his hand swatted away, grinning coyly at her puffed out cheeks and pouting lips, laughing quietly. He smiled again when she blushed humbly, lifting his hand to stroke her left cheek, seeing her blush deepen even though she clasped a hand on his and kept it on her face.

Mariko smiled warmly before lowering his hand, resettling onto the bed to lie with him and proceed to curl up against his side, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

Zuko raised one brow in mild surprise that she didn't feel the need to do anything more, but he chocked that up to her being sleepy; he lay there and let her get comfortable until he noticed she had dozed off. He smiled softly and reached to brush hair from her forehead, freezing slightly when she stirred a little.

"Don't leave, okay?" She murmured, her eyes still closed, her arm holding onto his right arm and squeezing a little in her drowsiness.

He smiled dryly at her request, his left arm sliding to fold on her back and hold her as she snuggled closer, closing his eyes as well, and before he knew it, he was in another world.

* * *

A/N: _i know things have been ending on a sappy note, but hey, i did promise the story would feature MariZu at a later time, and starting from ch. 15 to this chap, suppose i've delivered well on that part, now haven't i? anyway, regarding the Zutara ship, it didn't set sail in this story. i must apologize to any Zutara fans reading this d: __on another note, sorry for the prolonged update. been busy with life.. y'know? nyway, later!_

*also: **"Redemption" - GACKT**


	28. Pompeii

**disclaimer**: Mike and Bryan own the ATLA universe; Mariko belongs to me (: enjoy!

* * *

_**Pompeii**_

* * *

"Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara wondered of noone in particular.

Zuko shook his head slightly, having a distinct feeling she hadn't been listening when he explained it to his girlfriend the other night, "I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago." He reminded, being handed a towel from said firebender as she tossed one to Aang and proceeded to plonk down next to him on the old unused fountain. "And it'd be the last place anyone would look for us."

Mariko noted the slightly nostalgic light that flickered in his gaze before she slid her eyes closed and huffed, slugging him affectionately. "Lighten up, will you?"

"Don't tell me you learned how to punch like a boy from the guys." Zuko made a face at her, rubbing his arm.

"Nope, only from the best!" Toph chirped cheekily from her place lounging next to Katara on the covered walkway.

Zuko rolled his eyes, pinching his girlfriend's cheek only to have his hand be swatted away; he smirked playfully. "That explains a lot…"

Mariko pouted, sticking her tongue out. "Bite me, princeling." She grinned smugly at gaining a stifled laugh from Katara and a grin from Aang as he did his best to not laugh at his teacher's embarrassment.

"Damn it, Mariko!" Zuko barked in a flustered tone, his ears turning red.

"You guys aren't gonna believe this!" Sokka exclaimed as he and Suki barreled into the courtyard then, a long poster rolled up in said boy's grip.

"Gods, Suki, _please_ tell me he found his intelligence… We spent _months_ looking for it, but to no avail…" Mariko teased, earning a snorted laugh from Toph and she smiled innocently when Sokka sent her a death glare.

"_Noo_, actually… there's a play about us!" Sokka dismissed it with as much of his dignity as he could muster, a grin spreading across his face.

Suki chuckled at both the firebender's joke and her boyfriend's enthusiasm, chiming in, "We were just in town and we found this poster." She smiled as he unrolled the poster to showcase an illustrated portrait of Aang, Katara, and Sokka in fighting stances and an eyeshot of Zuko in the background, information regarding the play scrawled on the right corner of the poster.

Mariko pouted, "Aww, I wasn't in the poster? That's sexist!" She complained, folding her arms.

"What? How is that possible?" Katara asked in surprise as she, Aang, Toph and Mariko stepped forward to look at it better.

"Listen to this: '_The Boy in the Iceberg_' is a new production from the critically-acclaimed Pu-Wong Tim, who scowered the globe gathering information on the Avatar. From the icy South Pole, to the heart of Ba Sing Se, whose sources include pirates, singing nomads, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly-knowledgeable merchant of cabbage." Sokka recited.

Suki added, "Brought to you by the Ember Island Players."

Twin groans of annoyance came from the firebender couple; Zuko rolled his eyes, "My mother used to take us to see them; they butchered '_Love Amongst the Dragons_' every year."; Mariko pinched the bridge of her nose, "Dad had them perform a skit for my mother's birthday one year and they were God-awful."

"Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea to go see a play written about ourselves?" Katara asked, looking at her brother.

He pouted, "A day at the theater? Come on! This is the wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!" He turned a big cheesy grin to the trio of firebenders.

Aang sweatdropped, Zuko rolled his eyes, and Mariko arched a dubious brow.

* * *

Mariko lifted a brow when Aang was cut off from sitting next to Katara, noting the flustered expression ghosting his features; she began to say for Zuko to scoot over so he could sit between her and the waterbender.

"Just sit next to me; what's the big deal?" Zuko urged patiently.

Aang stumbled over his words for another moment before he complied reluctantly and plonked down at the end of the bench.

Mariko elbowed her boyfriend, seeing the look he shot that said _'what?_' and she shook her head, sighing, returning the look that said '_never mind'_.

"Why're we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can't see a thing from up here!" Toph griped on her far right.

Katara rolled her eyes, assuring, "Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening."

The curtains were drawn up soon, gesturing the show was going to begin.

"…And _hope_ is all we have!" Actress-Katara, a woman that seemed to redefine the actual girl's 'motherly' sense, hunched over the makeshift boat's edge and began sobbing.

The actual Katara snorted and crossed her arms, "Well that's _ridiculous_; I don't sound like that!" She pretended she didn't hear stifled laughs coming from Sokka, Suki, Toph and Mariko.

Toph snickered and said, "Oh man, this writer's a _genius!_"

Mariko deadpanned when Actor-Aang came onto the scene, arching a brow at the apparent curves on the actor as she easily put two and two together and knew the actor wasn't an actor, but actually an actress. "…_'here to spread joy and fun'?_"

Aang balked at seeing the actor portraying him. "Wait, is that a _woman_ playing me…?"

"Oh wait! Isn't that a plate of meat up there?"

"Where; where!?"

Actress-Aang giggled, "Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?"

The audience burst into laughter as Aang ranted, "I don't do that; that's not what I'm like! And I'm NOT a woman!" He seethed.

Both Mariko and Toph were doing their best to not crack up even though one was doing better than the other, the latter chortling, "Oh man, they _nailed_ you, Twinkle Toes!" as the former giggled out, "I dunno, Aang…"

Zuko near-visibly perked up at seeing his uncle and himself (both portrayed) appear on stage.

"Prince Zuko, you _must_ try this cake!" Actor-Iroh urged, and both firebenders deadpanned at noting he looked pudgier than the real Iroh looked.

Actor-Zuko scoffed and glared at him from keeping an eye glued to the spyglass at the bow of the ship, "I don't have _time_ to stuff my face! I must capture the Avatar to regain my honor!" He exclaimed.

"Well while you do that, maybe I'll _recapture_ another slice!" Actor-Iroh remarked before stuffing his face with the cake in hand.

"You disgust me!" Actor-Zuko huffed.

The real Zuko crossed his arms, scoffing, "They make me look totally stiff and humorless!"

Katara smirked, "Actually, I think the actor's pretty spot-on."

"How could you say that!?" Zuko griped.

Mariko rolled her eyes, watching both actors having another squabble before the scene changed, nudging the prince gently, "You'll ruin your good looks if you get that huffy." She sang, looking up at him from under her brow and smirking.

Zuko grumbled and pouted, making her giggle, before he slid his arm around her and squeezed. "Bite me."

The play passed through a few scenes, most occurring before she joined the group, and she deadpanned when the pirate scene came on.

"I'll help you!" Actress-Mariko exclaimed loudly as she helped the trio get out from under a pile of pirates, and the real Mariko had to squint, noticing the cropped blouse and two katana strapped to her back, low-cut pants and ankle boots, her boots black but otherwise her outfit was Fire Nation red.

"What the hell! I _don't_ look like that…" Mariko hissed between her teeth.

Zuko snorted amusedly, "I didn't know you were a _belly-dancer_ when we left home." He teased, wincing when she delivered an especially-sharp smack to his chest with the back of her hand.

Mariko folded her arms tighter over her chest and huffed, watching as they rolled on to the scene where Aang was captured by Zhao and the Blue Spirit saved him.

"My hero!" Actress-Aang squealed, hopping from the pedestal where she was bound and hopping onto the overtly-large mask of the Blue Spirit.

Both Zuko and Aang shuddered at the implication and shared an uneasy look with each other; the prince refolded his arm around his girlfriend's back, scooting closer to her by an inch as the airbender seemed to scoot closer to the bench arm.

Mariko felt her face drain of color during the Jet incident, having the sudden urge to find this Pu-Wong Tim and zap the hell out of him for making her out to be so… _unlike_ herself, watching Actor-Jet lifting both Actress-Katara and Actress-Mariko up on a rope.

"Don't worry, ladies, I'll wipe out that nasty town _for you!_" Actor-Jet proclaimed, causing a paper-wave of water to rush over a cardboard village.

Both actresses cooed over him, "Oh Jet, you're _so_ baad…"

Toph guffawed, "Sword Girl, not _you_ too!"

"**Hell no**." Zuko bit out with a tinge of venom, speaking before his girlfriend could, his jaw set; he squeezed on her back in a possessive manner, glaring at the stage.

Mariko ignored the blush and smiled slightly at his actions, settling into his shoulder. She blinked when they finally reached the incident at the North Pole, deadpanning during the teary goodbye between Actor-Sokka and Actress-Yue.

"You never told me you made out with the moon spirit…" Suki teased said boy behind them.

The real Sokka sounded like he was trying not to cry, "I-I'm trying to watch!"

Both fire- and waterbender shared a look and then shook their heads with a bemused smile.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko commented blandly.

All seven of the teenagers had decided to get a breath of air and stepped out onto one of the balconies of the theater's second floor, lounging around one exit's back-stairwell.

"Apparently the playwright thinks I tell bad jokes about meat all the time." Sokka agreed as he plonked down next to Suki on one step with a bag of jerky in a hand.

Suki smiled wryly at him, "Yeah, you tell jokes about plenty other things." She jibed, earning an '_I know!_' from her boyfriend as he munched on his snack.

"At least your actor kinda _looks_ like you; that woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me _at all!_" Aang griped, placing his head in his hands from sitting on the last step.

Toph shrugged from leaning against the stairwell landing, "I dunno… You **_are_** more in touch with your feminine side than most guys." She giggled when he glared up at her.

"Zu's right, the _intermission_ so far has my standing ovation." Mariko mused dryly, snagging a piece of jerky from Sokka and smiling lightly at him, munching.

"Relax, you guys; they're not accurate portrayals." Katara assured, gesturing flippantly, "It's not like I'm a preachy _crybaby_ who can't resist giving over-emotional speeches about hope all the time."

An awkward silence stepped in as the six teenagers clammed up faster than turtle-ducks.

Aang countered sarcastically, "_Yeah_, that's not you at all…"

Toph seemed to be the only cheery one about this, "Listen friends, it's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt, but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth." She said lightly.

* * *

Mariko was able to relax again as the play timeline shifted to their travels in the Earth Kingdom, passing by the time they first met Toph –whose portrayer was a 'really buff guy' that could see using a sonic wave he screamed out (which was really loud)—and somehow shifted to a scene where Zuko and Iroh split ways.

"Prince Zuko, it's time we had a talk… _about your hair!_" Actor-Iroh pointed at said prince's long brown locks.

Actor-Zuko tossed his hair back, "Maybe it's best if we… _split up_."

Zuko slouched slightly in his seat at the memory, and Mariko picked at a lock of his hair with a tilt of her head; he scowled at her. "What?"

"I **like** your hair." Mariko mused, meeting his scowl with a small smile, pulling back a smidge, taking his hand on reflex; his face softened slightly and he squeezed her hand, placing her hand on his knee as they both returned their attention to the play.

It was a few scenes later, the incident under Lake Laogai, where Actor-Jet was crudely crushed under a cardboard boulder where Zuko nudged her, asking, "Did Jet just… die?"

"I can't say for sure." Sokka mused aloud.

Mariko squeezed his knee. "Yeah he did." She murmured.

It was another scene or two later that the incident in the crystal caves was shown.

"Prince Zuko, don't choose your honor, choose **me**!" Actress-Mariko cooed, nuzzling up to the prince's portrayer.

Actor-Zuko glared at her, "Why should I? You've left **me**, you left me to join with the **Avatar**!"

"I don't care about that anymore; I just want **you**! Prince Zuko, my beautiful prince, please take me back!" Actress-Mariko begged, groveling at his knees.

Actor-Zuko regarded her and then seemed to sigh, lifting her up and landing a passionate kiss on her lips.

"Gods, tell me _that's_ not how it happened…" Toph groaned. "Who'd have thunk Prince Casanova was such a sappy romantic?"

Both Mariko and Zuko turned a shade of cherry red before the older girl coughed, replying, "Not exactly…" It was bad enough the crystal caves incident reminded her about how she'd chased away and then turned her back on her friends, but the damn playwright just had to get that _one_ _detail_ so bloody _accurate_…

Zuko's hand left hers when the scene came up where he had to choose between Azula and Iroh.

"Choose treachery… it's more fun!" Actor-Iroh suggested jovially, winking at his nephew.

"No way!" Actress-Azula exclaimed when Actor-Zuko strode toward his uncle's side… only to knock him over and then return to her side.

Actor-Zuko pointed a finger at his fallen uncle, "You smell, Uncle, and I hate you for all time!"

Katara looked over at said prince, "You didn't actually say that, did you?"

"I might as well have." Zuko answered bitterly.

Mariko frowned and sighed, squeezing his knee gently and smiling warmly when he glanced at her.

The second intermission went as swimmingly as the first one did, and prior to that the scenes expounded on what Toph had previously told her of what the gang had undergone in their first few weeks prior to the eclipse. When the eclipse started in the play, however, things ended badly.

"Aang, you go find the Fire Lord! Mariko and I will hold her off!" Actor-Zuko declared, sending off the bald actress shortly after his father had fled the scene only minutes ago.

"You are no longer my brother; you are an **enemy**!" Actress-Azula cried, glaring at her brother.

"That may be, but I've come because the throne belongs to me; **I am the rightful heir**!" Actor-Zuko snapped.

Actress-Azula feigned a wicked grin, "We'll see."

It was a short display of firebending, Actress-Azula spouting cerulean ribbons at both Zuko and Mariko; Zuko dodged one particular blast but Mariko wasn't so lucky.

"Prince Zuko, I love you!" Actress-Mariko wailed before falling at the hand of her sister-in-law.

The real Mariko ignored the balking stares from her friends, but the prince could feel her hand slightly shake while still on his knee.

Spurred by the demise of his lover, Zuko attacked viciously only to be rendered on the defense. With a quick flick of the wrist, Azula sent a wall of fire to take him down.

"_Honor!_" Actor-Zuko bellowed as he sank down below the flames. Applause greeted the actress as she turned to bow to the audience.

The real Zuko stared at the scene with wide eyes.

"Over my dead body." Mariko bit out venomously.

"So! You have mastered all four elements?" Actor-Ozai drawled loudly when the next scene began, showing Aang in the Fire Lord's throne room.

"Yeah, and now you're going down!" Actress-Aang chirped with a bright grin.

"No, it is **YOU** who are going down!" The faux comet began flying slowly over the stage as he continued, "You see, you're already too late! The comet is already here… and _I'm unstoppable_!" Ozai cried.

Mariko glared at the show of bending and when Actor-Ozai sent a high wall of flames at Aang, she looked away as she wailed out '_No!_', her jaw set.

::::::::dOb::::::::

"That… wasn't a good play."

"Completely horrid."

"I'll say."

"No kidding."

"Horrible."

"You said it."

"… But the effects were decent!"

* * *

A/N: _yo, sorry for the prolonged update again. kinda been busy lately.. anywho, not much to put, though i don't think i covered this episode so well.. aheh._  
_hope y'like! (:_

_*__**"Pompeii" - Bastille**_


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